bryce wilson manifesto

a new decade... a new blog, a new website, a new album?

2010-02-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

I have a new blog: brycewilson.tumblr.com
I have a new website for my music: brycewilsonmusic.bandcamp.com

It seems like bandcamp is going to be a cool site for me to share my music with others. All of my music is available there for download, in a pay-what-you-want format. I know most of my friends don’t have very much money. But if you’d like to make a contribution, I’d appreciate it so much.

And I have a new album of music: Songs About Humans. Mary Rose designed the cover art. It’s not really a NEW album, per se. Some of the songs are four or even five years old. But I’ve finally collected a whole batch of songs and compiled them into an album of sorts. Songs About Humans is now available for download! You can also go to my bandcamp site to download my album about plants and animals, or the EP about Christmas, if you never got them before.

I hope you enjoy listening.

“Our intent is all for your delight.”

The End of a Decade

2010-02-03T16:03:00.000-08:00

as the 2000-2009 decade has ended, I thought I would post a list of my favorite albums from this decade...

in no particular order

Radiohead - Kid A/Amnesiac
Radiohead - In Rainbows
Damien Rice - O
Coldplay - Rush of Blood to the Head
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
mewithoutYou - Brother, Sister
John Mayer - Continuum
The Decemberists - Crane Wife
Ray Lamontagne - Trouble

Wilco and Arcade Fire will probably be on this list someday.

great video of Shelter and Hold You In My Arms

2010-01-23T22:33:00.001-08:00

a pretty good cover

2010-01-21T14:05:00.000-08:00

(sad face)

2010-01-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

my friend michael shepherd posted this on facebook, with the appropriate title "Nothing says 'Jesus is Life' like being shot with a high-power rifle from a distance"

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-military-weapons-inscribed-secret-jesus-bible-codes/story?id=9575794&page=1

=(

wow

2010-01-09T17:41:00.000-08:00

i feel like the makers of world of warcraft have an unrealized amount of power over our society.
if they wanted to take over, they could.
they are the creators of a video game.
but they have created a monster.
and they are powerful.

and probably the same is true for farmville

Bryce Wilson - Have Some Christmas Cheer! The Christmas EP Vol. 1

2009-12-23T13:33:00.000-08:00

http://www.mediafire.com/?zmnmwqzwtrn

The files are in m4a format (compatible with iTunes).

Merry Christmas!
Bryce

Christmas EP

2009-12-22T03:10:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow I will finish mastering the Christmas EP that I've been working on this last week. I will upload it to the internet so that everyone can share this holiday offering.
Below, I've posted the liner notes. Have a safe and happy Christmas!
Bryce

Twas the week before Christmas-
I only started liking Christmas music a few years ago. That's when I grew up. That's when I started liking avocados, tomatoes, and the concept of pumpkin pie. We can only really appreciate Christmas music after we've moved out of our phase of teenage angst. We must first adjust to a new type of dissonance- being open to things and ideas that we don't yet fully understand or appreciate.
This is the first time that I've ever pushed myself to take on a Christmas music project. I had hoped to record a full album, but because of time restraints, I ended up with a mere seven-song EP. Within these seven songs though, I have tried to faithfully recreate a somewhat complete Christmas experience. Not every song is autobiographical, but every song is true.
Christmas is about hearing your younger siblings practice carols on the piano in the next room. It's about enjoying the fruit of your loved ones' labor. It's about growing up. It's about trying to put yourself in the shoes of the nativity characters. What did those angels sound like anyway? Was it snowing? Or was Mary all sweaty, with her bangs stuck to her forehead? Did Joseph have a full beard, or was it patchy? Did he even have a mirror so that he could look at himself? When was the mirror invented? What kind of peace was the "Prince of Peace" supposed to bring to earth anyway?
I hope you like the music. If not, there's always next year.
Merry Christmas, Bryce
2009

1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
(Traditional)
Blake Wilson: piano, vocals
Bryce Wilson: vocals, jingle bells
Yeah Blake!

2. Forgotten
Words and music by Bryce Wilson
Bryce Wilson: vocals, bass, drums, shaker, acoustic and electric guitars, synthesizer, jingle bells
Scott Wilson: stereotypical parent voice #1
Sharon Wilson: stereotypical parental voice #2

3. Christmas Ale (Have Some Christmas Cheer!)
Words and music by Bryce Wilson
Bryce Wilson: vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, bass
Scott Wilson: banjo
Sharon and Leigha Wilson: handclaps, cheering

4. It Didn't Feel Like Christmas
Words and music by Bryce Wilson
Bryce Wilson: acoustic guitars, bass, vocals, piano, shaker

5. Harp of Heaven (Song of the Shepherd)
Words and music by Bryce Wilson
Bryce Wilson: acoustic and electric guitars, piano, bass, programming, vocals

6. Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Words by Charles Wesley
Music by Felix Mendelssohn
This family sing-along would not have been possible without:
Sharon Wilson: piano
Blake Wilson: vocals
Leigha Wilson: vocals
Scott Wilson: vocals
Bryce Wilson: vocals

7. Go Tell It On The Mountain
Traditional African-American spiritual compiled by John W. Work
Bryce Wilson: programming, guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, vocals

I would like to thank the following people:
My family, for lending your vocal, piano, and banjo skills. Sarah, for always being patient and encouraging. I love you. And to my friends who encourage my music making/creativity- mi hermanos- Matt, Jojo, Caleb, and Gerry, Amy, Lynda, Tim, Beatrice, Peter and Emily, Zam, Brother James, Kristin Stapleface, Alex and Melissa, Berto, JJ, Danny, Ausdin, Ryan, Ty, Ian, Emma Grace, Val and Mitch, Jon Carman, or anyone else who has come to see me play... I appreciate your enthusiasm. Thanks to anyone I might have forgotten. I should also mention that this musical adventure would not have been taken if it hadn't been for: Baby (or adult) Jesus, Mary, God (the Father), Joseph, Magi, donkey, Shepherds, Herod, Luke (the Physician), Bing Crosby, Amy Grant, Mariah Carey, Sufjan Stevens, John, Paul, George, and Ringo. And I'd like to give a special thanks to Alex Paul Jackson, a man who is thoroughly passionate about eggnog, Jesus, Christmas decorations, folky greatness, Christmas candy, listening to old Christmas records, and just being a kid. I love you, my dear friend.

so...

2009-12-19T01:22:00.000-08:00

I would just like to point out a ridiculous argument.

Just because there are soldiers "fighting to protect our right to free speech" doesn't mean that we shouldn't use that right to question the ways that we fight, or the reasons for fighting.

Bib Perspectives Paper!

2009-10-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

If you'd like to read my term paper for Professional Issues in Biblical Perspective, here it is. It's an analysis of the debate between social concern and evangelism within the mission of the Church.

you can download it here as a word document:

https://ep3.chalkandwire.com/ep2_hiu/ViewArtifact.aspx?Cus1=88&t=20091014202151&u=159012&Afid=6901&CU=159012&ParaId=17620&Cus=88

feel free to leave comments if you'd like.

the next chapter...

2009-07-23T12:04:00.000-07:00

I will graduate in less than six months and I don't know what comes next. To be honest, I guess I'm still afraid of the world, in a way. I know everything is going to work out fine. And I think my "retirement" years (which may or may not include retirement) will be great. A lot of people don't want to get old - i don't really fear old age. I do fear middle age though. I fear the career days. I have no idea what I'm going to spend the next 20 or 30 years doing.

So, to deal with (or escape) the pressure of having to figure things out, I think I'm going to take a holiday in the spring. I plan on going back to europe for awhile. places that i want to visit (or see again): Paris, amsterdam, barcelona, budapest, germany

from Walden...

2009-06-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

"he had rated it a gain in coming to America, that here you could get tea, and coffee, and meat every day. But the only true America is that country where you are at liberty to pursue such a mode of life as may enable you to do without these, and where the state does not endeavor to compel you to sustain the slavery and war and other superfluous expenses which directly or indirectly result from the use of such things."
-henry david thoreau

how i feel

2009-06-01T19:18:00.000-07:00

right now, i have the worst sore throat of my life. every time i swallow, it's like taking down a knife.

what's wrong with me

2009-05-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

last night i went to the ER, after being sick for 9 days. I was begining to become jaundiced, and every part of my illness was increasingly worse... stomach ache, sore throat, cough, headache, fever. i had been to the doctors throughout the week for tests, but nothing had been concluded, and i was getting much worse.
after many tests, the doctor concluded that i have mononucleosis and hepatitis EBV. so anyway, please pray for me.

shame on cedarville university

2009-05-10T00:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2008/februaryweb-only/107-22.0.html

i just read that cedarville university in ohio cancelled an event last year where shane claiborne had been invited to speak. some students and people outside the school complained that shane was too liberal. i guess they pride themselves on their conservative theology and historical tradition.

there's room in the church for baptists, don't get me wrong. and there's room for those that baptists deem liberal (although shane would personally reject that label). But there's no room for judgementalism or exclusivism. Any school that perpetuates that kind of attitude in the name of Christianity should go out of business. I hope there's at least a few students at cedarville that aren't afraid to call the administration on this. It kills me that christian schools are afraid to move in the direction that God calls them because they'll lose the financial support of certain churches and rich christians. I guess even the church sells out =(

on a related note... tony campolo spoke at our school a couple weeks ago. the man is wonderful. i wonder if there's a podcast of it.

blogging, bon iver

2009-04-15T01:14:00.001-07:00

i think recently (like in the past few months) i've kind of slacked off on blogging. I only post videos and pictures... which are interesting, but that's like lazy blogging. that's like doing research on wikipedia (which i think is actually more legit than many other websites that professors would accept as sources)

anyway...

I've recently gotten really into bon iver. I've had his music and admired him for awhile now, but it wasn't until a couple months ago that I really started listening to it a lot. And as a result, I'm getting excited about writing and recording new music again. Basically there are two ways that songs get recorded... You either write a song before you record it, or you write it as you record it. Although "great songs" are probably written before recording... like great "songwriter songs"... classic stuff with amazing lyrics and melodies (i'm thinking mccartney and lennon, paul simon, don mcclean, nina simone, whatever... even new artists like damien rice or colin meloy)
Having said that, there is something that is really exciting about writing songs as you record them. This method allows you to think of things that you might not think to do whilst sitting at a piano or behind a guitar. You can find inspiration in the sounds that you've already recorded... especially if you're an individual who is layering different parts. And I guess that's why Bon Iver has become a new source of inspiration for me... his rich overdubbing. He overdubs himself shamelessly, in a way that you normally only hear in "demo versions" of songs. I like Bon Iver because Justin doesn't care if his songs don't have a typical, professionally-engineered sound, or professionally-produced composition form.

So I'm really hoping to do some writing/recording over the summer. I have a bunch of songs that are pretty much finished, but I'm not super happy with them. and i don't know why.

In Viet Nam war terminology, if someone was "in the shit" they were in the middle of a firefight... they saw the worst of it. Well... as far as this semester goes, right now I'm in the shit. I can't wait for classes to be finished. Tonight's the third consecutive night that i've caffeinated myself to get work done. duuuuuuuuude.

kids rock.

2009-04-08T10:44:00.001-07:00

forest falls

2009-04-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

making cake with sarah

2009-04-04T19:54:00.000-07:00

ears bleeding

2009-04-02T00:06:00.000-07:00

Nickelback is the most distasteful band i've ever heard. I would post a link to a video that proves this point, but i refuse to pollute my blog with that trash.

wedding pictures

2009-03-29T21:36:00.001-07:00

New vinyl!

2009-03-26T21:41:00.001-07:00

I bought a few used records today:

beatles - revolver ($10)
beatles - rubber soul ($4)
jimi hendrix - band of gypsys ($5)

lonely is the room, the bed is made

2009-03-25T22:15:00.001-07:00

jeff buckley is sick. i'm listening to live at sin-e right now... maybe for the 1000th time, and of course, it's blowing my mind once again.

in other news, sara got married on sunday. so there's still copious amounts of chocolate cake and cheesecake in my fridge. i'm going to post some pictures soon... from the wedding that is. not of cake. although cake is great. almost as great as pie.

aaron weiss on the myth of redemptive violence

2009-03-20T01:24:00.000-07:00

the hazards of love

2009-03-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

The new Decemberist's album, The Hazards of Love (out March 24), is amazing. If you have been following this band, you'll know they're getting more and more epic with each release. In my opinion, this is their best yet. Think really big grooves. Think reoccurring themes and excellent female guest vocalists. Colin's lyrics are brilliant as always.

Anywho... all this to say I'm really excited to see them on may 19 at the palladium in LA with Sarah. They've announced that they're going to play the new album in its entirety at each show.

I'm also really excited about mewithoutYou's new album coming out on may 19 entitled "it's all crazy! it's all false! it's all a dream! it's alright"

st. patrick's day

2009-03-17T20:56:00.000-07:00

sarah was scared off her tiny face when that picture was taken. the geese were hissing at her.
anyway, i'm in love with sarah.

2.28.09

2009-03-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

lisa hannigan 2.21.09 @ the troubadour

2009-02-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

update

2009-02-17T23:52:00.000-08:00

so it's beeen awhile...
i'm always thinking about rants to post on here, but they never get posted. i've been pretty busy lately, and when i do have the time to blog, the internet in my dorm room isn't working too well.

anyway, i just had a delightful weekend in yucaipa of all places. this is the first year that i've had a good new years and a good valentine's day. went up to the snow... i'll post pictures when photobucket starts working again. I met sarah may's friends, who are an amazing group.

this is the part of my blog where i talk about random things that aren't related to eachother... i'm not very good at transitions:

1.
question:
how many times must i write a paper about maslow's hierarchy of needs? seriously.

2.
i've been thinking about genocide a lot lately, and it's been really troubling. It's one of the most destructive things in the world, but i'm not sure what to do about it. we've been talking about it in my human rights class, and i've been reading Samantha Power's Book "A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide" as well as Dave Eggers' "What is the What"

3. I do NOT look forward to working at 5:30 AM tomorrow.

4. I DO look forward to seeing Lisa Hannigan on Saturday.

5. I have the best girlfriend in the world. She's everything i ever wanted in a woman. God bless our love

san francisco

2009-01-30T00:27:00.000-08:00

photos by jeff castanon

stories about walter

2009-01-14T00:52:00.000-08:00

my new album is called Stories about Walter.
the tracklist (not necessarily in this order) will include:

Bury My Head
Untitled Song
Puzzle
Walter Emmett
Peaceful Solutions
Let Me Go
Rejoice
On and On
Curtain
Erase It

All of the songs are recorded. I'm now in the "post production" stage. I'm terribly inefficient when it comes to recording. And i'm realizing i should have relied on tuners and metronomes a little more... but what do you expect? i'm bryce wilson. if my music was in tune and in time i'd be justin timberlake. and i would grooooooove.

the last album was a concept album about plants and animals. this album is not a concept album per se, but it is about human beings. themes that will be explored include sadness, love, frustration, and sadness (and maybe glimpses of hope here and there).

these songs are not really autobiographical... at least not entirely. these are songs about walter. walter is every man. walter is you. walter is me. there's a song on the album about walter. walter finds himself struggling between loving commitment and lonely freedom. and he's just an all-around sad bastard. that's why i say this album has a lot of sad on it. unlike the last album, most of these songs are not "new". i've written them over the past 3-4 years.

anyway, i'm not sure when i'm going to have this 100% finished and ready for handing out, but i'm going to take my time. so i'm not in a rush. sometime in the next month probably.

sarah may

2009-01-12T00:47:00.001-08:00

picture by jeff

new years in San Francisco

2009-01-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

...was good.

taking responsibility

2008-12-30T21:24:00.000-08:00

i'm leaving for san francisco in the morning =D

however, i'd like to say a couple things that have been on my mind recently.

today i was looking through the newest issue of WORLD magazine (a Christian news magazine) and there's an article about George W. Bush and his faith. Basically, Bush was on a network news interview show last week and he was asked about his faith. He answered that he was a Christian and then he said a few other things about his relationship with God. And then basically, the author of this article's conclusion was that maybe Bush isn't really a legit Christian, because his answer to the question was all over the place, and he didn't sound like he had ever actually read the Bible for himself.

and my thought is... really? You know that George W. Bush is not a Christian because of a long, rambling answer that he gave in an interview? What about his actions? Everything about him has screamed that he's not a follower of Christ for the last 8 years!
I don't know how a person could read through the New Testament, fall in love with the person of Jesus, become a Christian, and then decide that they're supposed to become president of the United States. That makes no sense. That is absolutely antithetical to Christ's humble life and message. Jesus rejected political power when it was offered to him. Not only did Bush become president, but his presidency has been marked by unchristian decisions (not that there is a "Christian" way to run a country).

It just makes me sick to think about all the Christians who voted Bush into office (twice even!) because of "his strong Christian faith," and here we are... 8 years later, and FINALLY the Christian media is acknowledging that he's not really a Christian. But not even for the right reasons. According to World Magazine, Bush isn't a Christian because his answer had hints of universalism, and his answer sounded a bit canned. No! Bush isn't a Christian because he doesn't act like Jesus! I'm not a judgmental person, but there comes a time when the Church has to distance herself from individuals who claim to be Christians but are blatantly about something entirely different.

---

Secondly,

Christians need to stop pledging allegiance to things other than God. i'm over it. patriotism can go to hell.

the greatest potential for creative change...

2008-12-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

Here's something i've been thinking about recently...

When it comes to changing the world, there is potential in many different places. Some things that can bring about change: fame, money, creativity, revolts from the oppressed, oppression, political power, awareness, appeals to emotion, etc.

It is often thought that the rich have the greatest ability to control trends, revolutions, or to create change. This is, to a certain extent, true. The rich certainly have the most power to oppress. The rich own the companies that build the weapons that are used in war, and many governments cater to the interests of their rich citizens who profit from war (a little something known as the military-industrial complex).

But there is some good news. When looking at society as a system of classes... i think the most potential comes from those who are in the lower classes... at least the best type of potential.... artistic potential, potential for positive change, creative power, etc. There are many cases of artists who become famous and then their ability to make art deteriorates.... when people have nothing to lose, they can be more creative and they are truly free. People who are attached to their stuff have more at stake. Every time they make a big decision, they have to think about what is in the best interest of their estate. The more you have, the harder it is to let go of it.

I think the best scenes (music, fashion, art, etc) come from the poorer, struggling artists. These bohemians (or "boho's" as i like to call them) are usually on the forefront of style and innovation. The wealthy corporations are always a year or two behind these trend-setters.

This, of course, is not an original thought. Marx's idea of the proletariats overthrowing the higher class citizens has a similar idea behind it. Toiling day after day in a low-paying job (or under strenuous conditions) has a tendency to build up energy that can lead to either violent revolts or other creative outputs.

When i took History of American Religion (HOAR) last year, Dr. Sonnenberg talked about how churches are made up of people of different ages and different ideologies. Most of the innovative ideas will come from the younger, more zealous members. The older, "wiser" members and elders, who have the greatest financial influence want to maintain the status quo.

So my thought is this...

If you are young, zealous, and creative, GO WITH IT!!! But you better be ready to face opposition from those above you... the people with more money and more experience will eventually try to copyright your style, then package and sell it to the masses. There is always a difference though... if you look carefully. There is a difference between the original idea, and the mass-produced, mass-marketed product. Seek out the original ideas. Try to embrace your own creative ideas, even if they don't seem to fit with the trends of the general population. The greatest potential for creative change lies in you, poor man!

nose growth

2008-12-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

i've had a billion random thoughts recently that i meant to explore in a blog but they've all slipped my mind just now.
but here's one:

If someone asked me a question, and i answered them with a lie, and my nose grew... right before their eyes, would they be upset that i lied, or would they be amazed at the supernatural event of my nose growing?

e- cig

2008-12-16T22:48:00.001-08:00

http://www.smokingeverywhere.com/

i just watched a commercial for a fake cigarette... and i feel really weird for watching the whole thing. basically it is an electronic device that looks like a cigarette, and it releases nicotine. but there's no tobacco or smoke or anything. it turns the nicotine into a vapor.

i guess they've thought of everything. that's something my grandpa would say

in rainbows.

2008-12-16T22:24:00.001-08:00

so i really hope radiohead wins album of the year for in rainbows. but i feel like coldplay will win for viva la vida.
in 1998, bob dylan's album (produced by daniel lanois) "Time out of Mind" won instead of OK Computer.
in 2001, Steely Dan won over Kid A ... (What!?)
But please, for crying out loud, In Rainbows needs to win best album. not just because radiohead has gotten the short end of the stick at the grammy's in the past... but because In Rainbows is actually the best album of the year.

12/4

2008-12-05T01:07:00.000-08:00

first off... if you read this, i'm sorry for the lack of punctuation. it's late and i'm falling asleep.

1.
today i finished my last classes of the semester. i've decided that there are some things that aren't worth studying in depth. management is one of them. I gave a presentation on peter drucker today. when it comes to management, he's the dog's bollocks, if you will. he wrote 39 books on business management. i can't explain why i don't like this guy.

a girl in my class gave her presentation on leadership theories. i'm sorry, but that's just stupid. theories on leadership? i think leadership is alright. but following is also admirable. neither one requires theories though. (i have nothing against the girl that presented though... it wasn't her fault the topic was unnecessary)

2.
i feel like i'm dreaming quite often. everything these days seems surreal. kind of like when you stand up too fast and get light headed and everything seems strange for a second.

3.
i have to work tomorrow from 9:30 to 5:30.

goodnight!

the story of stuff

2008-11-25T19:50:00.001-08:00

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

to do list for thanksgiving week

2008-11-24T22:32:00.000-08:00

1. Final paper for Principles of Management
2. Final paper for International Management
3. Research project for World Christian Movements
4. Rewrite Critical Thinking roundtable argument
5. Prepare presentation for Principles of Management

i got a new guitar today. it's a telecaster. I also got a few new beatles records... sgt. peppers, white album, hey jude single, & let it be.

next semester schedule:

2008-11-11T12:43:00.001-08:00

Biblical Theology (grana) m/w 12:10-1:35
Marketing (wright) t/th 10:45-12:00
Human Rights (Sirvent) t/th 12:10-1:25
Strategies for mission (whitmer) t/th 1:35-2:50
Practicum (Alley) m/w 1:35-2:50

O, Porcupine

2008-11-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

I never gathered figs from a thorny branch
I never picked grapes from off a bramblebush
For the past five, almost six years now
you haven't once looked at me with kindness in your eyes
and you say "Judas is a brother of mine"
Oh but sister, in our darkness a light shines!
All i ever wanted to say with the rest of my life is how that light is G-d
though i've been mistaken on this or that point, that light is nevertheless G-d!

11.10.08

2008-11-10T23:00:00.000-08:00

there are many famous people in music right now (like, topping the charts) that i've never heard before. some of them are:

taylor swift
T.I.
Katy Perry
Akon

those are just from the top 10 songs on iTunes. are any of them good? if i'm missing out on something great, let me know. Just give me a call or something. I'll be in Alex's room, listening to my new Dark Side of The Moon LP that I got at Amoeba on saturday for $4.99. Just give me a little ring-a-ding-ding.

forgiveness

2008-11-05T23:53:00.000-08:00

forgiveness is one of the hardest things for humans to do
but i think it's one of the most essential.
if we want to live, and if we want to be alive

we need to always forgive everyone.

voting

2008-10-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

The ability to vote or not is a freedom that many people have died for. But that's just it. They died so that we could vote if we so choose. But also, they died so that we could NOT vote if we so choose. That's real freedom.

It's American to participate in democracy. Voting is one way of doing that. It's not the only way. But a person is not a good or bad person depending on whether they want to vote. As a Christian, I know that Christ does not tell his followers to vote. If Christians feel particularly inclined to vote about certain things, than they should do that. But they shouldn't judge other Christians who don't feel the same way. If anything, i feel that the cost of following Christ is usually more about giving up your personal freedoms and rights than insisting on them.

anyway, i'm a Christian first and an American second. I'm not saying Christians shouldn't vote. I'm saying they shouldn't view it as a proof of morality. They shouldn't use it as a standard against which they can judge other people.

gay marriage

2008-10-19T16:50:00.001-07:00

upon request, i will now talk about gay marriage.

it is unsettling for me to drive around town and see churches lobbying for certain political issues. One church that I know of was recently passing out "vote YES on Prop 8" bumper stickers. This is a problem because that immediately puts off people who have a different opinion about prop 8. People who are voting NO on prop 8 are not welcome. Or if they are welcome, they are also welcome to change their sinful mind and subscribe to the political ideology of that particular church.

Now. you might be thinking that Christians need to stand up for what they believe in and vote YES on prop 8. But what if Christians don't believe that?

If I vote, I think i'm voting NO on proposition 8. And here's why...

If there was a proposition on the ballot that defined communion as being "strictly an act for believers who have been baptized into the church" I would also vote NO on it. I don't think the government needs to get involved in communion. If there was a proposition that defined baptism as being "by immersion only" I would vote NO. These are church institutions. These are "sacred" parts of our religion. In the same way, marriage is a "sacred" institution of the church. We, as Christians, cannot "give" marriage to the State to control, just like we can't "give" communion or baptism away.

Because "marriage" has essentially been "given" to the State, we need to let go of it as a "legal institution". As a legal institution, this so-called "marriage" is not the sacred thing that God created it to be, it's an American thing. And in my mind, there are few forces as opposite as the American government and the Church. (Some nationalistic Christians that you meet these days are very confused. they have their allegiance split between the Church and the State, and they have a hard time drawing a line between the two. But we know that no man can serve two masters.)

So...

I say let homosexuals "get married". As the Church, we can recognize that this is not the biblical idea of marriage that we honor as a sacred institution of the church. It is not the relationship that mirrors Christ and his bride, the Church. It is a public function of the State. And let me chime in as an American... America is celebrated for its "freedom" and "equality" and "separation of Church and State". Speaking simply from an American perspective (which is not something that I do very often), i think "gay marriage" is very "American".

The other "American" argument that I have in favor of "gay marriage" is this: Allowing homosexual people to enter into a legal union might actually benefit society in some ways. As a social entity, heterosexual marriage encourages people to be committed to a single partner for life. Gay people might be less inclined toward promiscuity if an official legal union was created for them [a legal union on the same level of importance as legal marriage]. Many heterosexual people save themselves sexually for marriage. If gay people had the same union to look forward to, they would have more of a reason to wait. I think many Christians don't like this argument because it makes homosexuality feel like a moral choice. But i don't think we should deny homosexuals a legal union on the same level as heterosexual legal marriage because we feel that its important for them to feel guilty and sinful.

Christians who find their primary identity as Americans will waste their lives, running around frantically, trying to get America "back on track"... trying to make America a neat, tidy place for their children... a place without dangerous ideas. But that's not what Christians are called to do. We're not going to change anyone's heart by creating legislature or controlling the way that people outside of the Church live their lives. Our only hope of changing hearts is with radical love. And if you actually have close friends that are gay, the whole Prop 8 issue takes on a different face.

To the homosexual community, i would like to apologize for all the misguided Christians who have channeled their homophobia through things like Proposition 8. Christians don't own America. We need to stop trying to control people through the government! That is not an effective way to communicate love! And our primary job is to communicate love.

2008 Music - 4 Album Reccomendations + update on recording

2008-10-16T01:13:00.000-07:00

finally, the albums that i've waited all year for are out.

2008 has been a good year for music.

* narrow stairs by death cab for cutie

great album. this was not a disappointment.

* viva la vida by coldplay

an interesting progression from x&y. i feel like their music is getting more epic and conceptual. my favorite coldplay is still parachutes and rush of blood, but i like it all.

* sea sew by lisa hannigan

great. if you like good female singer/songwriters czech this out. joni mitchell, nina simone, feist, joanna newsom... lisa hannigan is up there with my favorites.

* Gossip in the Grain by Ray Lamontagne

beautiful. it may or may not be a phase... but so far, ray is still in the phase of not being capable of sucking.

in other news. I am hoping to have some new music finished for your listening pleasure by the end of the year. this bunch of songs is not about plants or animals. i can tell you that. Most of these songs are about girls. I have six songs finished. I'm going to try to get another four or so before i make a decision about the project. i don't know if it will be a longish EP or a shortish album. that line is sometimes vague. I feel like my music is better consumed in shorter amounts. maybe that's because it's not very good. I don't know. then again, Dark side of the moon is only 43 minutes long. and that album is like the perfect dream.

also... the '2008 edition' of flora/fauna is finished. i added bass guitar and some other noises... so if you want the files, or a cd, just let me know. it's free. (and might i add that the new version of "northwest is such a dream" is infinitely more rockin than the original).

jesus & "pro-lifers"

2008-10-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

i don't understand how christians can think that it's okay to hurt other people. forget everything you know about church history and politics. and look at the character of jesus in the gospels. turn the other cheek. blessed are the peacemakers. love your enemies. everyone will think you're crazy. love everyone. everyone will hate you. love everyone. love your neighbor. love your enemy. just look at the idea of 'christ crucified'. the slaughtered lamb.

"What new mystery is this? What blessed backwardness!
The immeasurable One is held and does not resist.
Struck by wicked words and foolish fists of senseless men.
The Almighty One does not defend!"
-Aaron Weiss

and another thing. Don't say your pro-life if you're pro-war. You can call yourself anti-choice, but don't call yourself pro-life. Why does the religious right work so hard to protect life inside the womb while endorsing war with countries full of people who are living outside of the womb?

"The very idea of Christians of all people promoting violence towards anyone is mindboggling. Some of the central tenets of the teachings of Christ are nonjudgementalism, non-violence, and humility. How can these people call themselves Christians and at the same time call for and celebrate brutal acts of violence? I love Christ, but I'm utterly dismayed at the teachings and actions of a lot of these supposed 'Christians.'"
-Moby

"missionaries vs. normal christians"

2008-09-15T12:58:00.001-07:00

i feel like there's a big disconnect between what Christians expect from "foreign missionaries" and what they expect from "normal Christians". When someone decides they're going to be a missionary and go to africa, or maybe asia, their life changes in some big ways. They sell their house. Many times, they sell all of their stuff, or at least most of it. When they get out to the bush in Africa, they don't build a big mansion (God knows they could...american dollars would probably go pretty far in zimbabwe). Bt in order to be most effective, they will probably live in a small house, or a hut like the people who live in the area. They understand that their reason for being there is not to be comfortable, but to relate to their new neighbors. Secondly, have you ever heard of a missionary moving to a foreign country and trying to take over the government? Missionaries don't go to little countries in Africa so that they can run for president. They don't go to identify with the government. They go to identify with the church, to represent the church, to help the church grow.
i'm not saying that Christians in america should live in huts. But i do know a lot of Christians who have houses that are too big for their own good, and for the purpose of the the church. If you have a house that's too big for you, adopt some people! Or sell your house, and get one that fits! think of all the ways you can give the money away to your neighbor who is in need.
So, basically... let's see ourselves as missionaries no matter where we are. We shouldn't be living too comfortably! We should see ourselves as aliens who are only visiting. We shouldn't try to gain political power. We should be loving, adopting, and giving.

lastnight=wow

2008-08-28T09:00:00.001-07:00

01 15 Step
02 Airbag
03 There There
04 All I Need
05 Nude
06 Talk Show Host
07 Where I End and You Begin
08 Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
09 The Gloaming
10 Faust Arp
11 How to Disappear Completely
12 Reckoner
13 Optimistic
14 Jigsaw Falling Into Place
15 Pyramid Song
16 Climbing Up the Walls
17 Bodysnatchers

Encore 1:

18 House of Cards
19 You and Whose Army?
20 Just
21 Paranoid Android
22 Street Spirit

Encore 2:

23 Videotape
24 Lucky
25 Everything In Its Right Place

flora/fauna [2008 mix] is finished!

2008-08-16T12:16:00.000-07:00

my textbooks for this semester cost $411. just because everyone always has to have a new edition.

well guess what! There's a new edition of my album, Flora/Fauna. I've just finished mixing it, and it's better than ever! Exciting new nature sounds! Bass guitar! Horns! Synthesizers! New Sonic Textures That Can't Be Beat!

So, if you are one of my friends or loyal listeners, let me know that you want in on this.

OK: Monday + Tuesday

2008-08-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

1. Farmers are a different type of people altogether.

I spent the last couple of days in small-town oklahoma. I stayed with my dad's cousin David, who lives with his family in Watonga. There are less than 5,000 people in watonga. I spent most of my time riding around Greenfield (neighboring town) with David in his truck, while he checked out his land. My Grandmother grew up in Greenfield, which has a population of 123.

It's hard to describe the culture out there. I went out to lunch at a little restaurant in town, and I kid you not - my cousin David and his wife Brenda knew who every single person in the restaurant was. It was kind of like going to dinner in the cafeteria of a small Christian college. You literally have to whisper because every person is talking about every other person.

this morning i went to the grain elevator co-op center, where David checked the price of grain. We sat for awhile with a group of local farmers. Most were pretty old - i'm guessing some of them are retired. They can talk for an hour about how one of them got an inch of rain while another got 3 or 4 inches of rain.

2. I'm not that good at golf. I should work on it, because playing a good game of golf is an important skill in the business world. Actually, i have a better idea. I should work at it because I enjoy it. ha!

3. how about that michael phelps? pretty crazy. I can't even believe that guy. can you imagine being that good at something?

4. 2 weeks until the Radiohead show =)

5. So my grandmother (see #1 above) grew up in farmer-country Oklahoma. Just to give you an idea of what kind of people i'm talking about, when i talk about these farmers... Her father (my great grandfather, who i never met) couldn't remember all of his children's names, so most of them ended up with nick-names. I have an Aunt Punkin', Aunt Toad, Uncle Choc (because he looked like a Choc-taw Indian), Uncle Fizzer, and an Aunt Tootsie. I don't remember who the other ones were. But i know that Toad actually legally changed her name to Toad when she was old enough.

OK: Sunday

2008-08-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

no matter where i am, Sunday afternoons require a serious nap. and today when i was napping i had some pretty intense dreams.

1. I dreamt that i was in this small town, and I had this gun. I'm a non-violent person, but in my dream, i decided to fire this gun. I wasn't aiming at anyone, but i ended up hitting a car, which exploded, and left 2 or 3 people dead. I hid the gun under a booth in the restaurant that i owned. There was a full investigation, and although they found the gun, they never named me as the suspect. But I was ridden with guilt for the rest of my dream.

2. Later in the dream, I decided i was going to go to a restaurant and spend the rest of the little money that i had. Even in my dream, my own actions were reminding myself of Holden Caufield. So i bought some food, and had some drinks. And then when i was leaving, there was a crowd of people all trying to get out of the door at once. Right in front of me was George W. Bush.

I'm not 100% sure why, but i extended my hand to pet Bush's face. Then i laughed, because i had just petted the president's face. He was wearing a shirt that was white, and it said "REAL" on it in big, black letters. A girl standing next to me yelled out "Why does your shirt say 'REAL'?? It should say "FAKE"!!!!

And then I looked lovingly into this girl's eyes, and she put her arms around me and kissed me. and she kissed me good.

OK: Day 2

2008-08-08T23:12:00.000-07:00

1. Lisa Hannigan's new cd has a name (Sea Sew), and a release date - September 15th. I guess that makes up for Ray Lamontagne's album being pushed back from Sept. 15 to October 14 =(Track Listing
1 An Ocean and a Rock
2 Venn Diagram
3 Sea Song
4 Splishy Splashy
5 I Don't Know
6 Keep It All
7 Courting Blues
8 Pistachio
9 Teeth
10 Lille

mmm.

2. Today the cousins got here, they made it for dinner. Some other relatives came over... 2nd cousins, and 2nd Aunt and Uncle. They're farmers. And my uncle Choc... sometimes it's so hard to understand what he's saying, especially with a mouthful of food. After dinner we played cards for a long time... which was a lot of fun, although i lost.

Then i got into some old photo albums, and looked at a lot of pictures of my dad growing up, with his family. It's weird to see all these pictures because I don't know much about my parents childhood. Which is weird. I wonder if my whole life up to this point will be a mystery to my children. It's not like i have no idea what his childhood was like... but neither he nor my mom tell that many stories about growing up. When i see old pictures of my mom and dad, more than anything, i wonder what they would be like as friends of mine. what kind of crowd did they roll with? were they athletes, musicians, hipster-types? Were they boring, like one-dimensional characters in a movie? or did they have opinions? I think i'd like to know what their opinions were. of course, it's hard for me to even say what i would be like, if i grew up in their homes, schools, and churches... and the overall attitudes in this nation were probably different too.
my grandma said i could take some pictures home if i wanted. I'll post some when i can

OK: day one

2008-08-07T22:59:00.001-07:00

1. i saw on the news tonight that paul mccartney was in oklahoma city today. I'm not sure it would make the evening news if he was spotted in southern california, but i have to say, I got a little excited. And maybe that's just because of this feeling like i'm so far away from everything.

2. Whenever i see OKC, my first thought is not Oklahoma City, but rather Ok Computer.

3. It's been interesting to be around my grandparents again. I don't know if it's because i'm older (i hadn't seen them in 3 years), but i'm noticing more of my dad's mannerisms and humor in my grandpa. There's even something in his eyes that reminds me of my dad... something that i never noticed before.

4. grandma's food is magnificent

5. my bed has a pretty amazing mattress topper

6. 2 cousins coming tomorrow

7. amazing thunderstorm tonight during dinner

8. within the years that i've really been old enough to remember, my grandparents have lived in 4 houses. But whenever they've moved, they've taken most of the same furniture, art, and home decor. So i was telling my grandma yesterday that no matter where they go, these new houses never feel foreign and uninviting. Grandma and Grandpa's house will always feel like Grandma and Grandpa's house no matter where it is. And i like that.

random thoughts i've had recently

2008-08-05T15:04:00.000-07:00

did Jesus ever drop things (like blueberries) on the floor accidentally? if he lived his whole life without sinning, does that also include making mistakes? like breaking mother's finest china, or letting his scoop of ice cream fall into the dirt of the Nazareth streets?

the answer is: i don't know.

also... there's been a lot of talk about whether or not Iraq's weapons of mass destruction ever existed. But my question is this... Isn't it ridiculous to start a war over whether or not someone ELSE has weapons?

Really. Stop and think about that. Invading a country and starting a war... because you THINK that a country might have powerful weapons. And I say this... if it's okay for us to start a war, why isn't it okay for them to have weapons? Trying to eradicate violence by using violence will never work. And that's not to mention that these weapons haven't been found. I'm just saying that even if the weapons HAD been found, that's a really stupid reason to engage another country in a war.

2008-07-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

vinyls i'm looking for:

dark side of the moon - Pink Floyd
Blue - Joni Mitchell
anything by the Beatles, Nick Drake, Joni mitchell, Nina Simone, Elliott Smith,
seven swans by sufjan

my favorite albums by my favorite artists.

2008-07-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

this is my blog, so i'm not going to limit myself to a "top 10" or whatever. you don't have to read all of this...
in no particular order:

the beatles:
sgt. peppers
abbey road
revolver
white album

jeff buckley -grace

don mclean - american pie

radiohead:
ok computer
kid a
amnesiac
hail to the thief
in rainbows

dave matthews band:
under the table and dreaming
crash
before these crowded streets

ray lamontagne:
trouble
till the sun turns black

joni mitchell - blue

john coltrane - a love supreme

u2:
the joshua tree
war
achtung baby

sufjan stevens:
illinoise
michigan
seven swans

mewithoutYou:
catch for us the foxes
brother sister

damien rice:
O
9

Phish - A Live One

Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Pink Floyd:
Dark Side of the Moon
Wish You Were Here

David Gray - White Ladder

Bjork:
Vespertine
Homogenic

Ben Harper - Diamonds On The Inside

Death Cab For Cutie:
Transatlanticism
Plans
Photo Booth

Simon And Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Paul Simon - self-titled

The Decemberists:
The Crane Wife
Picaresque

Elliott Smith:
Either/Or
XO
Figure 8
From A Basement On the Hill

John Mayer - Continuum

Emmanuel [s]antarromana - Metropolitain

i'll add more later

concerns about the world getting warmer

2008-05-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

"I don't believe many scientists or politicians. I don't know who to believe about global warming. If I breathe in the fumes that come out of my car, I will die. Yet I still drive my car. I still fly. I still tour. I still make plastic cds. So here I stand, a hypocrite, an addict, like so many others, looking for help. Ironically we look to the scientists and politicians for solutions. Yet politicians paid the scientists to design the machines that dug for the oil that fuelled the machines that fuel the problem. Still, I am hoping our minds will open like parachutes and save us before we crash."

-damien rice

New Resolution

2008-05-03T10:23:00.000-07:00

as of may 1, 2008, I have decided to stop cracking my knuckles. if you see me do it, please stop me. it's sometimes a subconscious thing

4 things...

2008-04-27T23:16:00.000-07:00

1.

remember when you were in kindergarten and you stowed all your things in a cubby? those were the days, weren't they? everything... just neatly fitted in there.

and then you get older and everyone's paranoid about everything. and so you keep your stuff in a locker. all locked up

2.

i bet it sucks to be an astronomer. can you imagine? I mean it's cool because you get to look at stars for a living. i mean... that can't be too worrisome. but then people would always come up to you, like "hey man! so i hear you're an astronomer and shit. I'm a virgo. can you tell me what i should do with my life??" and then you're just like "awwww nooooooo man."

3.

Dr. Phil is what people want. but he's not what people need. And i don't think Christians should endorse his methods like he's doing God's work, or preaching the Gospel.

First off, I have to say that for me, the only reason I ever watch that show is because I get sucked into the stories of how awful these people's lives are. It's really not personally edifying for me to watch at all. I think there's just something about us as humans, where we just love watching people self-destruct... of course, from a distance (no one likes to see their own family and friends ruin their lives). It's the reason we watch high speed chases... we have to see how it ends, because we know someone's going to get hurt, or thrown in jail. And so i think for that reason, Dr. Phil's show is just like the Jerry Springer show. it's entertainment, and it's really good for that.

Now... the real reason why I don't like his show: If these poor, self-destructing people actually take his advice, and they turn their lives around, then what? I don't think they'll be any closer to Truth. I think God has set up the world so that if we follow through with our own self-obsessed lives, chasing after every desire that we create with our lives, we will be empty. And sometimes it takes a lot of hurt and frustration to get there. I think it's good for people who are trying to "get it together" to get to the point where they become lonely and hopeless. I think that's how it's supposed to be... we're not strong enough or good enough to get it together.

Let me be the first to say that for me, this is something i continually have to work through myself. I go through a lot of times where i feel so unsatisfied with life that i could just die. I've never been suicidal, but I have, at times, wanted to not be alive. But then i realize that I feel this way because i'm not really living. Whenever I get like that, I can always look at my life, and see that my frustration comes from my own self-centeredness. And I realize that it's actually healthy for me, as a Christian, to feel this hopelessness whenever i focus on myself. We are supposed to die to ourselves, so that we can get to the point where we do not exist, only Christ is alive within us.

Somebody needs to tell these poor people who go on Dr. Phil's show that no matter what they do to try to fix their lives, it is all in vain. If you get your life in order on your own merit, it's worthless. If you want to find your life, you have to lose it. If you want to live, you have to die. Go ahead, and fix your life... but if you ever decide to follow Christ, He will ruin it. He'll have to bring you to your knees before he can use you. But that's the thing about Him. He'll use the weak to overcome the strong. He'll use foolish to shame the wise. Dr. Phil might be able to fix the symptoms, but he doesn't have the cure for the disease. And so it's nice to watch his show... I mean, it might get you really emotional, and these people might actually "get it together". But that's just it... It's not about "having it together". The only way you can follow Christ is if you realize that you don't have it together at all. And so it's nice to think that even if he doesn't bring people into God, Dr. Phil sets people on the right track, and he uses "biblical principles" to help people get their lives in order... but what I'm saying is this: it's not good enough. People are closer to God when they're frustrated with how they can't run their lives, than they are when they've got everything figured out.

4.

A lot of times, really rich people drink, and really poor people drink.

Anyway. that's all. Peace =)

i do not exist. only YOU exist

2008-04-14T02:33:00.001-07:00

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me"

Galatians 2:20

We Need New Songs

2008-03-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

Come now and join the feast
from the greatest to the very least
come now and join the feast
right here in the belly of the beast

Cops and soldiers you can come too
Just lay down your guns and come on through
Rich people get rid of your stuff
and poor people, there will be enough

Mighty ones come down from your thrones
And little ones you are not alone
Come on patriots, you can bring your flags,
We're washing feet and we'll need some rags.

(lyrics by The Psalters)

www.jesusforpresident.org

i am reading Jesus For President by Shane Claiborne and Chris Haw, and it's challenging me to rethink a lot of things in my life. How would I live if I really believed that I've been raised from the dead? In conjuction with this book, the album Catch For Us The Foxes by mewithoutYou is also changing the way i think. mewithoutYou's newest album Brother Sister has been a huge source of inspiration and challenge over the last year and a half, but now I'm getting into their older stuff and realizing how much truth is packed into some of the parables and analogies that Aaron uses. Aaron Weiss and Shane Claiborne sing, speak, and teach in the Spirit of Jesus and Paul... modern day prophets and ordinary radicals.

ch ch ch check it out.

2008-02-26T00:26:00.000-08:00

www.micahsway.org

"The mission of Micah’s Way is to provide Orange County’s impoverished families and individuals with a support system that responds to their immediate needs and helps them develop the necessary skills to become self sufficient."

in a market dimly lit

2008-02-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

"you kept a distance out of fear you'd break
but what good's a single windchime hanging quiet, all alone?
the music our collisions would make
is the sound that turns the road that leads us back home into home"

-Aaron Weiss

jeff buckley

2008-02-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

When i listen to jeff buckley's Mystery White Boy cd, i can't believe that he was only 28-29 when it was recorded. Covering Nina Simone and Leonard Cohen, it becomes abundantly clear that he was much more musically mature than his peers. He was immersed in grunge, but at the same time, he incorporated the blues and jazz of the classiest musicians. And even with the unbelievable instrument that was his voice, he remained a humble performer, which comes through when listening to Live @ Sin-e.

anyway. that's all.

more reasons why i'm lame

2008-01-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

i don't know anything about cars or sports

Psalm 25

2008-01-28T19:21:00.000-08:00

Psalm 25
A psalm of David.

1 O Lord, I give my life to you.
2 I trust in you, my God!
Do not let me be disgraced,
or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.
3 No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.
4 Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you.
6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,
which you have shown from long ages past.
7 Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.
Remember me in the light of your unfailing love,
for you are merciful, O Lord.

8 The Lord is good and does what is right;
he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
9 He leads the humble in doing right,
teaching them his way.
10 The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

11 For the honor of your name, O Lord,
forgive my many, many sins.
12 Who are those who fear the Lord?
He will show them the path they should choose.
13 They will live in prosperity,
and their children will inherit the land.
14 The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.
He teaches them his covenant.
15 My eyes are always on the Lord,
for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

16 Turn to me and have mercy,
for I am alone and in deep distress.
17 My problems go from bad to worse.
Oh, save me from them all!
18 Feel my pain and see my trouble.
Forgive all my sins.
19 See how many enemies I have
and how viciously they hate me!
20 Protect me! Rescue my life from them!
Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.
21 May integrity and honesty protect me,
for I put my hope in you.

22 O God, ransom Israel
from all its troubles.

(thank you mr brandt)

...

2008-01-23T13:18:00.000-08:00

i also crack my knuckles although i don't want to. i have little self-control in this area.

my weaknesses, a.k.a. "good reasons to NOT like me"

2008-01-22T21:31:00.000-08:00

middle name is kyle
sometimes i leave my mouth open
cheap
OCD tendencies
serious
curly hair
horrible memory
idealist/elitist
interrupts
beard capability = patchy at best
introvert
bad with names
unsure about career
bad at basketball
gave up on piano lessons
lost 70% of drumming skills
bad posture
mispronounces vocabulary
forgets shivalry
Familial dysautonomia (maybe?)

i'm sure i'll think of more

trying to realize violence in an experiential way (in my mind)

2007-12-31T12:45:00.000-08:00

A lot of times we see violence depicted in movies, and we're so used to it, that we don't really realize it anymore. And recently I've been thinking a lot about it. And I'm not just talking about what humans intentionally do to other humans. This is accidents too.

One time when I was young i saw a car accident happen on the other side of the freeway, as we passed by. This van had gone off the freeway and was rolling over and over. It only lasted a second, but I can still remember seeing the violent motion of the car. I've seen a lot of cars flipping over on tv, but the only one that I can remember vividly was from my own experience.

The reason that I've been thinking about this is because I haven't personally witnessed very many traumatic things. But they go on all the time. Here in America, we're very sheltered from a lot of the problems of the world. So we don't suffer first-hand very much from the war, or from epidemics. In bad parts of town, there are acts of violence, but most of us live in suburbs far away from that.

What I mean to say is that I've never seen a human being die. I've never seen a person in a pool of blood. I've never held a person who's been shot or stabbed or even just had a terrible accident... fallen from a building or thrown from a car. And because I've seen so much blood in movies, I think I've subconciously assumed that I know what it's like to be near something like that. And I'm afraid that one of these days, when I least expect it, I'm going to suddenly find myself in a situation with a dead/dying body, and it's going to be very strange. And I might totally break down.

When I start thinking about this, I get this feeling inside of me, like no matter what, I will never fight in a war. And I never want to try using violence as a form of redemption.

as a side note... i'm reading Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, and it's wonderful. I would reccomend it.

a little update...

2007-11-29T11:03:00.000-08:00

well, i'm not much of a blogger. even if i think of things that i want to rant about, i don't often log on and type my ideas up.

anyway. i will hopefully be doing some recording soon... over christmas break. I don't know if it will be an album, or and EP, or just a few random songs. It depends on how quickly i can work. and when i use the word "quickly", i am in no way reffering to Anna Quick.

going home today...

2007-11-16T15:56:00.000-08:00

i'm watching Children of Men. i forgot how amazing this movie is. if you haven't, WATCH IT.

what a wonderful gloomy day

2007-10-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

it's gloomy outside. i can wear my sweatshirt and my cozy moccasins. i'm listening to sufjan's christmas music. i've taken two wonderful naps and read some of jonathan safran foer's Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, which is a very interesting book.

there is no work or (imperative) homework that is hanging over my head.
mmmmmm.... here's to wonderful gloomy days.

love, bryce

In Rainbows

2007-10-08T13:51:00.000-07:00

www.inrainbows.com

the excitement that i feel towards radioheads new album is just something that you understand, or you don't.

this is my blog, so i'm just going to say it: Radiohead is the greatest band in the world. Greatest band of all time? maybe not yet. I think the beatles are the greatest band of all time, but i am definately open to the possibility of RH surpassing the beatles.

anyway. if you don't know why RH is so amazing, listen to Kid A with headphones. It may take a few times, but if you "get it", you'll know why October 10 is so exciting.

prov. 17

2007-10-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
when a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

help

2007-09-26T11:19:00.000-07:00

i'm getting an add request on myspace from these whore spammers about every 4 minutes. i always hit "mark as spam" but they don't seem to be getting any less frequent. does anyone know what to do about this?

on another note, the new iron and wine album is amazing. blowing my mind.
i saw damien rice at the greek last week and it was quite good. lots of energy, but i thought the show lacked some of the personal feeling that was so strong at the other shows i've seen.

anyway.
good times.

amal

2007-08-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

"Amal" by The Psalters

she stood she stood strong she did not run she remained

......and while i bowed and ran she just grabbed my hand with a smile on her face as the bombs reined......
she stood she stared deep in my eyes and said....."do not be afraid, it will be okay"
......it was her birthday today and she refused to bow to the smart violence swarming as i stood and stared in shock and awe at the hope no violence could tame.....her name is...Amal

Read about Amal in Shane Claiborne's book The Irresistable Revolution.

back at hope

2007-08-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

i'm back at HIU. and i have a cell phone now. send me a message on myspace or email me at brownrice41 at juno dot com if you want my number.

peace.

bryce

it's been so long

2007-08-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

i haven't posted anything all summer. and it's not because i've been busy.
i got a new computer... a macbook pro. i also bought the pro tools digi 002 rack i've been wanting.
i've been very unproductive this summer. i've only written maybe 2 songs.
i've watched a lot of movies. some of the better ones were:
noi albinoi
amelie
history of violence
born into brothels
sometimes in april
turtles can fly
amores perros
requiem for a dream
life aquatic

i've read quite a few books. let me try to remember what they were:
metamorphosis by franz kafka
wild sheep chase and kafka on the shore by haruki murakami
searching for god knows what by donald miller
slaughterhouse five by kurt vonnegut (did i finish it?? maybe not)
the irresistable revolution by shane claiborne
...?
now i'm reading the great gatsby
i've spent hours in the library.
i've bought enough books to keep my busy through the next year at least.
i've failed to get a job.
i haven't taken any trips.
i haven't found the love of my life.
i've changed my major (from business management to cross-cultural business administration)
i got my wisdom teeth pulled (and so i spent 2 weeks on vicodin)
i have gone to the beach quite a bit.
i have eaten a lot of ice cream. [but i haven't gotten fat. i think i'm eating less than when i was at school. or maybe just less often].
i've seen a couple INSANELY amazing concerts. [swell season {+ damien rice} and Decemberists + LA Phil and Andrew Bird]
i've watched the first three seasons of 24.

i'm ready to go back to school.

30 Suu Kyi supporters arrested in Burma

2007-05-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

30 Suu Kyi supporters arrested in Burma

Rangoon - Some 30 supporters of Burma democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi were arrested Tuesday as they headed to pagodas around Rangoon to pray for her release from house arrest, a party spokesman said.

They were arrested at different spots around Yangon as they prepared to join a weekly prayer vigil, said Han Zaw, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy party.

"One group leader, Su Su Nway, and about 20 people were arrested on their way to a pagoda in Insein Township for their prayer vigil," Han Zaw told AFP.

"Another 11 people were also arrested in separate incidents. They were spotted because they were wearing T-shirts saying 'Free Aung San Suu Kyi'," he said.

Police declined to comment on the arrests.

Aung San Suu Kyi's supporters began holding a weekly prayer vigil on May 1 to seek her freedom. The order confining her to her home comes up for renewal on May 27, although it has been routinely extended in the past.

The 61-year-old Nobel peace laureate has spent more than a decade confined to her home in three major periods of house arrest. Her latest forced isolation began after a pro-junta mob staged a deadly attack on her convoy four years ago.

Former US president Bill Clinton and 56 other former world leaders on Monday appealed to Burma Myanmar's military regime to free Aung San Suu Kyi, according to the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights.

The NLD on Monday also called for her immediate and unconditional release.

The party won a landslide victory in 1990 elections, but the junta never allowed them to take office. Myanmar has been ruled by the military in various guises since 1962.

Agence France Presse

taken from:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com

confusing parables.

2007-05-08T01:27:00.000-07:00

You were shrewd!
You were shrewd!
But your food was full of poison.
You betray!
You betray!
There's a better way, I do believe.
Pearls to swine!
Pearls to swine!
Why'd I waste my time with you?

elliott smith and leslie feist.

2007-05-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

"new" elliott smith out tomorrow =)
feist's new record is worth having. "1234" has interesting banjo on it... especially near the end of the song.

peace.

quiero morir

2007-05-03T03:26:00.000-07:00

work today was bad.
and now it's 3:26 AM am I am working on my term paper for English.
despair. weep. mourn. wail.
woe.

you wanna know good audio production??

2007-04-29T02:02:00.000-07:00

Radiohead- Kid A "Optimistic"
Nigel fabulously captured the different guitar voices. carries the rythym beautifully. everything about this song is magical.

It has arrived! Oh no! The TERROR! The AGONY!

2007-04-28T23:41:00.000-07:00

I've dreaded this day for as long as i can remember. as a matter of fact, i cannot remember a time when i didn't dread this day.

my wisdom teeth are coming in. my jaw aches and i have a headache. and the doom of having to get these suckers pulled out hangs over my head.

jeez

question everything.

2007-04-28T00:44:00.000-07:00

Facsimile No. 1
Facsimile No. 2
Facsimile No. 3

take a look at these facsimiles. The church of LDS still today considers The Pearl of Great Price part of church doctrine and scripture. As a matter of fact, the links above will take you to the official LDS website, where the LDS Church makes the text available for all to read, as scripture.

with minimal research, anyone can learn what scholars know about this text. Look it up on wikipedia, for example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_abraham

Because of the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, Egyptologists can translate (with about the same ease as translating Greek) what Joseph Smith "translated".

Please

2007-04-24T02:09:00.000-07:00

People hide behind governments because it's easier to do things in the name of a country, or in the name of freedom. Would you ever drop a bomb on someone you didn't get along with? I'm not saying this to condemn America's actions any more than I'm saying this to condemn the actions of any other country. I think Saddam hid behind the country of Iraq when he did horrible things, and I think the leaders of the United States hide behind "our great nation".

But citizens of the U.S. also hide behind our government. We are still somewhat of a democracy. Many Americans support the terrible things that our government does with their ideas and opinions... ideas and opinions that they probably wouldn't carry out in their own interpersonal relationships.

So basically we need to stand up for what is right. If you would walk past starving children who are literally dying by the tens of thousands every day because they don't have enough to eat, then go ahead and hold your opinions and ideals that capitalism should be pursued over fair trade. If you, personally, would drop a bomb on anyone who has wronged you, then go ahead and support the dropping of bombs. But if you really believe in a man named Jesus of Nazareth, and the idea of "loving your enemies" and "doing good to those who mistreat you" then act like you believe those words are commands from your Lord.

bryce

4:20 am 4/21/07 haikuuuuuuuuu

2007-04-21T04:17:00.000-07:00

i must go to bed
homework hangs over my head
procrastination

2007-04-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

show at plush: fun
upcoming show @ lamda lounge: will be sick.

=)

from thom (posted on dead air space)

2007-04-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

...................."Last year the top climate scientist at NASA, James Hansen, reported that his bosses were trying to censor his lectures, papers and web postings. He was told by public relations officials at the agency that there would be “dire consequences” if he continued to call for rapid reductions in greenhouse gases(12)..........

The Union of Concerned Scientists found that 58% of the 279 climate scientists working at federal agencies in the US who responded to its survey reported that they had experienced one of the following constraints. 1. “Pressure to eliminate the words ‘climate change,’ ‘global warming’, or other similar terms” from their communications. 2. Editing of scientific reports by their superiors which “changed the meaning of scientific findings”. 3. Statements by officials at their agencies which misrepresented their findings. 4. “The disappearance or unusual delay of websites, reports, or other science-based materials relating to climate”. 5. “New or unusual administrative requirements that impair climate-related work”. 6. “Situations in which scientists have actively objected to, resigned from, or removed themselves from a project because of pressure to change scientific findings.” They reported 435 incidents of political interference over the past five years(9)..."

George Monbiot

3.29.07

2007-03-29T11:59:00.000-07:00

haven't posted in over a week.

why?

well. let me just say this. i reccomend you go out right now and buy Till the Sun Turns Black by Ray Lamontagne, and then read a Haruki Marukami novel. Then you will understand why i haven't used the internet much lately.

my reccomendation for you

2007-03-19T21:25:00.000-07:00

if you've never done it, listen to "burn" by ray lamontagne.

and i long to be free...

2007-03-17T02:30:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like knocking on a door when you know someone is behind it, but they won't answer. You knock and knock, and then you stop for awhile and listen. Maybe you try to picture the person behind the door and what they're doing, and why they don't want to open it. [what kind of expression is on the face of this person?]
Maybe you call them and they don't answer their phone. So you get down on your knees and look under the door.
They used to be so easy to get ahold of. you feel like Joel in eternal sunshine... why would naomi want to erase me?

it's easier to deal with someone dying than it is to deal with someone deciding they don't want to open their door for you anymore.
that's what i think at least.

artists with the most #1 albums

2007-03-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

1. beatles
2. elvis
3. jay z / rolling stones

i found #3 interesting.

mmm. decemberists.

2007-03-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

decemberists "the mariner's revenge song" @ 4:10
listen to the whispering in the right channel... doubled with the vocal.
this is an example of something good.

7:41 PM

2007-03-02T03:05:00.000-08:00

i no longer belong to the one that i long to belong to

and i'm totally
gone, it seems

andrew bird

2007-02-26T13:10:00.000-08:00

kids names

2007-02-25T23:48:00.001-08:00

julian (m)
deardry (f)