The life and times of timely living

The Starbucks' Experience

2007-12-22T21:14:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season...
Usually to be jolly...

BUT

I have found that's not ALWAYS the case and most of us can attest to that. For example, one day I was in the Dollar Tree in Marion after Thanksgiving, killing time while my wife and Mother-in-law went to Wal-Mart to shop or something. I figured going to Radio Slack and the Dollar Tree would be a great way to pass time while they were in crowded Wal-Mart. I actually found something I wanted to buy in the Dollar Tree and waited in line. Ahead of me was an older lady and her husband was off to the side. The cashier asked if she wanted to donate a dollar to some charity, but it was essentially for kids who weren't going to have a Christmas. The old man said "HA! Kids who don't have Christmas, yeah, right!"

I was ticked

So when I paid, the cashier didn't even ask me if I wanted to donate. So I had to ask what it was about and I gave a dollar out of spite. It's funny what motivates us sometimes.

* * *

So the other day I went to Starbucks to get some gift cards for some of my friends. That was a mistake. It was crowded in there! I didn't know where the line was and who was waiting for their order... pretty chaotic.
I had to leave... because all of a suddden there was a swarm around me. I do bad enough at lunchtime at my work!

So I left it till morning.

I went to another Starbucks. I went inside... and the line was huge! I had to be to work! I don't normally associate gift cards with a drive-thry but I decided to try it. when I was first there, there was only one car. I got into mine and then there was a line there! I couldn't win!

Anyway, I waited it out and finally got my friends' presents. It's funny what we put ourselves through in order to "celebrate" this time of year. Maybe we should just stick to gold, frankincense and myrrh.

This should be my last relatively sardonic blog for a while. I will soon be dedicating this blog to the goings on of my family which will become extended in March or so.

uhhhh... yes, I am still alive...

2007-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

So it's been a while. Okay... longer than a while.

Anyway, I have a new Blog dedicated to my new ventures which I SHOULD update more regularly. I'm hopeful anyway.

Check it out:
A Fresh Start

Meanwhile, I am going to be a dad in March. But those of you who have Facebook have probably heard already.

Later!
-Sween

Being a dad

2007-03-19T07:45:00.000-04:00

The title of this blog may beg incorrect assumptions but to clarify immediately, I'm talking about my experience house and baby sitting for some friends of ours. The girls were 6 and... 10 or 11, can't quite remember, I'm pretty sure 11... anyway, despite my wife doing most of the baby-sitting cause I had plays to do and band practices to attend, the time I had with the girls was interesting. I think I mostly had fun with them playing on the trampoline and playing hockey. The fact they were pretty low maintainence was helpful, too. I guess that nothing really cataclysmic happened except that I think it would be fun to be a dad. But that's probably the typical guy response or desire is that it would be fun. I thought I had a more profound expression of my experience but that's the extent of it.

As a result of baby/house sitting I stood up some friends on St. Patrick's Day, thinking that if I have kids, I probably can't do all the social outing stuff like I would want to. Well, maybe I'll have some green beer next year!

Snow, snow and more snow!

2007-02-14T08:19:00.000-05:00

Here's my attempt to putting this on my page...

Getting Out There

2007-01-23T10:14:00.000-05:00

As you may well have heard, I am in process of creating a new album. Also in this process I'm realizing the need to be a proactive artist as well. I think it is proven difficult to get out there if you're not playing places. Sure, there's the internet and with all this technology it would be very easy to not go out and play but there could be something to playing live that creates more of a platform and a dynamic atmosphere to entertain. Funny that this is coming from a guy who doesn't go to concerts, mostly due to turbaphobia or more commonly, "fear of crowds".

In the other process of creating new material, I think a colleague of mine said it best when he said, "...You almost have to be going through something in order for something to come out." (taken from The Yarmouth Vanguard in an article about Ryan Cook written by Michael Gorman).
I took that to mean you must be experiencing something in order to create something heartfelt and profound. Living in suburban Fishers, Indiana doesn't provide much fodder for heartfelt experience when you have almost everything at your disposal. Perhaps I will bemoan materialism or self-sufficeincy in my up and coming album. That has been the trickiest part of producing new songs is that routine mundane thing that life has become for me now. Right now a cover of "Farewell to Nova Scotia" is the most heartfelt song I have in my new cut.

Those are some thoughts for today. I have also put some stuff up on a site dedicated to Yarmouth bands. Please enjoy and tell all your friends!

Music

2007-01-22T08:13:00.000-05:00

This is a work in progress. What is it you ask? My putting music on the internet for people to hear. Right now I have a myspace account with one tune on it. There will be more to come. Right now I am fighting depression and a proverbial writing block musically but when I pull through, there will be a veritable bonanza of new tunes.

Meanwhile check out my new site

Dragon Warrior

2007-01-15T13:32:00.000-05:00

I just beat Dragon Warrior in about an hour and a half last night.
I just want to let the world know

Up and Coming

2007-01-12T07:30:00.000-05:00

Well, long time no post. I'm not really saying anything profound or profane today but rather just informing everyone to be on the look out for a new recording project of mine. You can view old stuff of mine on CBC's New Music.

Thank you all who will support me in this endeavor.

-The Sweenist

Wednesday and Thursday

2006-09-29T07:42:00.000-04:00

Well, I did say that my goal would be clarified as time went on in my initial blog regarding this experiment.

It's not what I do at work. It's more what I do with the clientele I work with when I'm not working. Whether it's befriending a Romanian student to make her feel more situated in this hemisphere or going rock wall climbing with a senior at my school, I thinking it's the small targets that one makes the more impact instead of spreading myself too thin by means of buckshoting and scattering fruitlessness abroad.

And though I have one more post regarding this experiment, I must say that I've already been practicing the principles of this experiment. Especially with some youth group kids, most of them in the "bands" I place them. My big experiemnt with them eventually is to work a portfolio of songs we can record.

It's the friendships with kids that I foster that make me really love my job. I feel more connected socially here than last year. I will conclude the experiment tomorrow.

Tuesday

2006-09-27T08:17:00.000-04:00

Not unlike yesterday, but I did hang out with the youth pastor and introduce him to "Frisbee Golf". I don't know that that was really discipleship so much as just having fun.

I was pre-disposed yesterday to not treat a client so nicly seeing that I heard how he was rude to one of my co-workers yesterday. I guess there is a fine line between friendship and professional relationships and discipleship and friendship again.

So realistically, my experiement is not proving results due to lack of intentionality. Maybe I'll do better Wednesday.

Monday

2006-09-26T07:49:00.000-04:00

Well, my plan isn't as deliberate as I'd like it to be. Friday and Saturday were more discipleship days than yesterday. But realistically, it was Monday. I was tired and the only thing I did deliberately was go rock climbing with Josh. But maybe today I'm off to a better start by already expressing to a co-worker of mine that I'm sorry she's having a bad day and I can't fix it. Maybe...

Oh yeah, I did have Tyler, Stephen and Matt over to practice Wednesday's set of music. I always love that. If I could get a full time job helping put songs together...

The Experiment

2006-09-21T20:57:00.000-04:00

Over the next week (like next week, Monday to Friday) I'm doing ane xperiemnt. I just thought of it while shaving and trimming my sideburns. I'm going to pretend where I work is where I pastor. My big question is: "What is discipleship". Whether this experiment has a point or not stands to question and whether the experiment is useful will be the other question. So we shall see... HSE... what does it mean to be... DISCIPLED! M'wa!

Hopefully my objective will clear itself up as we move along.

The Sobriety of Death

2006-09-08T15:42:00.000-04:00

You hear about people dying all the time. Maybe I'm fortunate that not a lot of people I know personally die. But even some people that you've never met have an influence on you somehow, when they pass on there is a certain unavoidable emptiness that dwells when you think of them. Two of these people for me are Darrell Lance Abbott (Dimebag Darrell) and Steve Irwin (The Crocodile Hunter)

I remember where I was I heard about the unfortunate, untimely death of Dimebag Darrell. I was at the church office working away when I thought I heard the name "Dimebag Darrell" and "people were shot to death" all in the same story. I couldn't believe it so I looked on the internet. True enough. Sad days.
Though it happened December 8th, 2004, it is still a heavy oppressive thought to me to think that my favorite metal guitarist was murdered. Not only that, he was murdered on stage by some crazed ex-fan who accused him of breaking up Pantera. Give me a break! I can't imagine what it must have been like for Vinne Paul to see his brother shot down. I used to think he was invincible.

This was another dissappointment. I love the Crocodile Hunter. Though I never watched his shows much, there was this unconscious joy I had knowing that that crazy Crodile Hunter was somewhere catching some dangerous animal. And the enthusiasm with which he sought such creatures. The first line I heard was from Matt Shulaw and Luke Adams because they watched the show in our hotel room while I was sleeping. They told me about it the next day: "Stop! A Snake!"; "The snake wasn't much of a problem but I had to sure look out for that barb-wire fence.

I wish I could have met them in person. I think now I can only begin to understand the gravity of John Lennon's death and Kurt Cobain's death as well. I wasn't aware that John Lennon was killed, I was only a baby. Unfortunately, I never got into Nirvana until 1995. Sorry this topic was morbid but I think I am starting to understand the dynamics of death and its effect on other people.

On Atrophy

2006-08-29T07:51:00.000-04:00

I remember when I used to be a relatively accomplished guitarist and bass player. I have discovered that if you don't keep being a student of these things (or anything for that matter) you lose your ability or to play at the pace you used to, you get hurt.

This Sunday I played at a church in Anderson. I could play the same guitar leads I used to with a few errors here and there. Slap bass ain't what it used to be either. I added a slapp riff to "I'll Fly away" and it sounds cool and at a MM of about 120, it's manageable but my wrist got sore. Well, unbeknownst to me, the worship leader wanted about 240 MM. When we reach that speed I could hardly breathe for the pain. It felt like my hand was going to fall off and my pinky kept hitting a string wrong and would get under my fingernail.

So the problem is, I need to practice more. Or maybe that's the solution. The real problem is that I don't practice.

Pop tarts give me gas

On post-academic life

2006-08-23T08:04:00.000-04:00

Again, the question of purpose rears its ugly head: What are you going to do with your life?

Apparently, we are enslaved to finding that career that pays the bills and gives you a little more for a rainy day. And when you know what you're doing is temporary It can drive you mad because you don't know what you really want to do. Oh yeah and my former pangs for a cigarette from olden days have compounded the last couple days into an all out urge to have one...BAD!

So here's the question. What should I do with my life? I will consider the answer that shows up most often and pursue that. At the risk of subjecting myself to something more rash than Russian Roulette I am asking you out there to tell me what to do with my life when I'm done working here after two years.

Thank you.

These are the days of overdone pretentious worship songs

2006-08-14T16:04:00.000-04:00

My friends, I have something important to tell you. It is so important a secret handshake has been made assert the gravity of this subject. Let me explain the porcedure for the handshake.

1. Clasp each other's forearm firmly

2. Look squarely in the eye of your associate

3. In the most somber, serious face while locking gaze simply state, "These are the days of Elijah"

4. If for any reason a smile is cracked or a bout of laughter occurs, abort the handshake because it is too late. You have already treated the Days of Elijah with irreverence.

Let's think about this. THESE are the days of Elijah. Not the days when he was alive and kicking, but today and everyday we experience are the Days of Elijah. We must seriously approach this fact. Afterall, it's in a worship song. Also, it has been brought to my attention that These are also the days that David is rebuilding the temple of Praise. So, even though God told David that his son, Solomon would build the temple, apparently David is RE-building it. The only way to make sense of this is to say that David came back to build AGAIN what his son built. I dunno why but it's happening because THESE are the days.

I hope all my readers can fully grasp this theological truth.

OKAY... I'm done with that. I do all this to help us think of what we sing about. Because we hear the song in our church more than once a month it is necessary to mock it. Well, maybe not necessary, but I have established with the youth group this secret handshake. I encourage you all to share it with your friends because-- SERIOUSLY-- REMEMBER-- THESE ARE THE DAYS OF ELIJAH.

One more thing. These lyrics actually lend themselves to a great hardcore version of the song

Until I write about being the new faculty member on the block... farewell

The Back to School Special

2006-08-13T18:07:00.000-04:00

Today I saw Rob Meeks. He looked really cute with his beard and hat and big sunglasses. It was sure nice to see him.

Today is also the last day of my "Interim Youth Pastor" position at Trinity Wesleyan. Through this experience I've discovered two things. 1) When I'm with Teenagers, I just like to have fun and 2) I am not a serious student of the Bible. Perhaps this latter discovery is the reason for the discontentment in my life. Part of me thinks it's because I'm not getting anything from the services at TWC. Some may reply "It's not what you get but what can you give." Yeah, yeah, don't give me that bullshit. I give a lot. And when I give I have immense dischord in my innermost psyche. At least when I give musically. I guess because I'm not a big fan of "Days of Elijah" or any other hit worship songs from the recent years. Maybe musically, I just want to be a rockstar. maybe worship has a different shape for me. But we'll leave this at that.

Here's my new favorite song for the next few days: "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stoneage

I'll write again soon because I have some deep theological truths to share with the whole world about the Days of Elijah. It made Rob Meeks laugh when I shared it with him.

It's been a while

2006-07-21T20:54:00.000-04:00

Okay, so a little over two months now. Under the unction of one "the other Meeks" I eel it is time to write something.

I am a handyman this summer. I am currently working on a rich person's house. It is great fun. They're real people too.

I finished a play called "1776" a month or so ago. I met some new friends. Most of them are gay. I like gay men, but not in THAT way. I want to understand all of humanity better.

Another instance of broken humanity I saw tonight while doing sound for a wedding rehearsal. A bitter man who tried marriage once and wouldn't do it again. Instead of calling him a catankerous old bastard (or bugger for those who are offended by my flippant use of quality swear words) I wish I knew what I could do to minister to his need.

Dinner's ready!

ciao!

Results from the Great Video Game Fast

2006-05-11T13:56:00.000-04:00

Well, I made it. I went Monday to Monday without playing SNES or any other video games for that matter. I knew it was wasting my time but it is still oh so entertaining.

Things I've learned as a result? Nothing cataclysmic, just that I should be satisfied doing what I'm doing and using that as a ministry.

However, I've been feeling catankerous the last few days. It may be the weather. It may be the fact I might get a new role in "1776" in which my character uses the Lord's name in vain. Not sure. It may even be the thought of having to find a summer job... but one I think I would like. Approaching things based on experience alone severely limits your scope of interest, at least in the job world.

Just thought I'd write...

The Great Video Game Fast

2006-05-02T09:14:00.000-04:00

I finally did it! I have finally decided to actually quit playing Super Nintendo so I can focus on more important things: like what God wants me to do with my life. I have no idea but some friends of ours suggested that we'd be a good fit for Hepzibah's Children's home in Macon, Georgia... home of the hockey team "Macon Whoopi"

So... another short and sweet post. I hope all have enjoyed the previous post and the antics that occur in a local Christian school.

What goes on in "private" schools?

2006-04-27T10:17:00.000-04:00

This is actually a former bass student of mine and a kid in my d-group. This is pretty funny.

Adam

I'm still alive

2006-04-19T09:20:00.000-04:00

Hi all. Or more appropriately... Hi you three.

It's almost been a month since my last post... yes. I'm a very busy man with three jobs and nothing to say. Well, I have stuff to say but I can't remember it when it comes to posting.

So beware when Italian gals say I'm no longer here. They are filthy liars!

-Sweenus

The Weekend

2006-03-20T15:17:00.000-05:00

I have a new addiction. It is called Guitar Hero for PS2. Last night my wife and I and two other couples hung out. OUr first stop was Pizza Hut. They had a buffet which is always goodtimes... most of the time. Regretfully, I indulged in over-indulgence. Here's how it works. You go to the buffet line and you know they will have your favorite pizza. Well, if they don't right away, they will have eventually. So what do you do in the meantime? Fill a sald plate with various pizza slices therefore abating your hunger. When the Hawaiian (that's my fave) pizza comes around, you get another salad plate and put that along with a couple other tasty looking slices. By this time I am already full. But I eat all 3 slices anyway. Big mistake. So it only stands to reason that I need to take care of it. No details.

Now, when the eating was over, we went to our friends' house and we played Scene-it and, of course, Guitar hero. Guitar Hero is not exactly like really playing a real guitar but it is still fun regardless.

In other news, Deroche and Judy came over for a visit. It was quite a surprise to see a rather familiar face peeking into my Sunday School classroom. Judy's aunt is the Music Pastor's wife. It is always a pleasant thing to talk with a fellow maritimer (Deroche, not Judy, although she is pleasant to talk to regardless) and reminesce about Tim Horton's, Poutine, and Maritime dialectic. Good times, good times.

I also gave up complaining for the rest of lent. I don't know if I messed up today or not when I hit my glasses with the spine of my crossword puzzle book and said "Holy frig!"

I'm going to power nap now in order to maintain a psyche that can follow through on such lenten activity.

When the music fades...

2006-03-11T20:59:00.000-05:00

The story is always the same. Maybe the turmoil in one's mind never changes if circumstances never change and the "what if"s in life remain something to ponder. two episodes ago you may recall my clever graphs depicting my relationship with God as I percieve it. I can be totally off in the results but I think I base things more on feeling.

Now, I'm not about to negate the premise "You can't base your relationship with God how you feel", but I want to approach that a little differently. We need to be aware that we are created emotional beings. So, if I have been feeling a certain way as a result of my experience or lack thereof with God, it is probably a good indicator that something is missing.

Tonight, we talked about desire in church. Yes, we "talked" about it. We dialogued about it. We didn't listen to a monologue, we participated, which is helpful I think. The main thrust of what we were talking about is desire. Now, for those of us who experienced Christ at a later juncture in life we can most likely agree that there was a certain desire to get to know this God who loves us even more. You know, I couldn't get enough... at first. Now... I have also alluded to this in former posts, but I don't know if my attitude changed, or if Bible college sapped me, or if I hung out with Christians or in a Christian environment too long, but there is a certain dryness. It's kinda like when you scratch your arm or rub your skin too long and it goes numb... it's kind of like my soul and my psyche have been abraised too much and too long by godly things in a concentrated way that I have become numb. maybe I have sinned too much and I am now indifferent. But if that were the case, then God's grace can only save me to certain extent, so it can't be that. After writing all this, I think I talk too much about how I feel empty or dry or purposeless. It can get old. Maybe I need to try various disciplines. I don't know.

The main point I was going to get at is that I alomst think I would like to do something in "Christian ministry" afterall. But coupled with my sense of purposelessness I daresay that I may be seeking something in hopes of it abating my empty feeling because I'm being used. But, I am not useless, in fact, I know that I am an immense help to my orthopedically imapired students at school. I love them and I have learned a different aspect of life as a result.

So, is it fruitless to pursue that joy I once knew? Probably. Maybe my synapses have been damaged by former stresses and I won't again enjoy a certain divine euphoria as it were. To pursue feelings is fruitless. It is exactly what drug users and alcoholics and the emotionally deprived that jump from relationship to relationship are looking for: a familiar feeling that pleases the senses... but only for a time until the fix or jump.

The pursiut of God. What does that look like? Is it found in the rote morning prayers that you say only to put it on a checklist? I don't feel like I can adequately speak to God that time of morning because it will all sound the same, with phrases like "Bless my day" and "may it go fast" etc, etc. Brainless spirituality. Scripture... I've read it before a few times through. Sometimes I feel like it didn't do anything for me.

Here's the problem. We get caught up with what can be done for me. I saw somewhere recently "God is so good. He answers prayer." Would God still be good if He DID NOT answer prayer? Of course He would. So I have essentially babbled about how I feel and my thoughts and what I don't like blah blah blah. All that came down to was my own experiences and my own tastes not being satiated. God is so much bigger, vast, profound, and mysterious than we can really know right now. He is so much more three-dimensional than our two-dimensional perceptions of Him tend to be.

Even when I'm playing music and I feel down because people asked if I need a tuner or if people ask me to turn down my amp it doesn't matter. It matters about as much as when I enjoy music. When it comes down to it, when the music fades the proper response is to follow. And it will never turn out how we expect it.

Of Wisdom and Stupidity

2006-03-03T10:25:00.000-05:00

Why are they called wisdom teeth? The most accurate answer may be that you're at a wise age when you get them. I don't think there is anything real smart about getting them removed. No, I am entirely subjective on this and responding emotionally and most likely irrationally to the fact that the dentist said I need to have my wisdom teeth removed.

Let me expound a little more. I have an absess on my back lower left 2nd molar. I know that it is there because the gum wrapped around a piece of chicken I failed to properly remove before I went to bed. Sure, it may be because the wisdom tooth behind it is slowly exposing itself. But it is not necessary to remove ALL my wisdom teeth! the top two came in nice and painlessly. I guess all I'm saying is I'm a cranky old bastard who despises change and using medicine. All that said, I guess I should leave it at that until I have something worthwhile and edifying to say.

Oh yeah, the stupidity part, people who buy houses on the fringe of golf courses.

On Ministry

2006-02-25T13:43:00.000-05:00

I should journal about this topic first so I can keep my thoughts straight but I'm sure I can make enough sense and be concise if I try reeeeeeally hard. I will first explore my gradual jading with "church work", as it were.

Only being a follower of the way for six years, four days, and just shy of eighteen hours, I have had... some fast transitions. At first, I loved going to church. A lot of that was due to learning new things - things which older, more weathered Christians have most likely become numb to because it's common knowledge to them and their Christians friends. Then there was Bible College, the place where you "grow close to God" or become a "worker for the harvest". Mmmm.... sure. There were moments of tangible growth. But more noticable was a delineating sine wave and a perpetual diminishing of the amplitude of that sine wave. I will have to provide a drawing. In fact. I really will.

The first graph is a sample of a 60 cycle sine wave. This is your typlical AC outlet or florescent light output. You will notice how off the fly this picture is because I am drawing it as I am going along. Don't mind the scribbles please. This is merely an example for the edification fo those who won't typically grasp my examples... er... illustrations.

Note that the x-axis is pretty much the average common middle line. In the next graph you will notice that average common middle line is not constant. This is what I call delineation due to it's gradually downward sloping arc.

Please note that the general contentment of life in general isn't parallel to this "spiritual delineation", in fact, I am very contented. I have a great wife, a nice house and steady job that I think I enjoy very much. In fact, upon further thinking, I think the delineation is more in the joy department moreso than my overall spiritual life, although there is some reflection in that.

Do I think becoming a pastor or doing something explicitly "Christian" will fix that? NO. But there is something overtly missing and as a result this consistent discontentment occurs. In fact, I maybe should have allowed myself to draw the line in Example 1.b significantly below the x-axis. All in all, I'm just generating a general idea. Now for the flip side.

Whitey has been over recently. He is a fellow maritimer. Being from the Maritimes, there are certain experiences I had early on in my journey with Jesus which when I think about those joyful moments, I automatically think of the Maritimes. Having fun at youth group (though I was 20), having coffee with my Bethany Colleagues, Beulah Camp. Being near the Wesleyan hubris has also allowed me to experience the bureaucratic hubris of any typical denominational head. It is the bureaucracy with which I am disenfranchised. But in the Maritimes there is AJ Thomas, Mike Ross, Andrew Maves - all cool guys doing "ministry". But even bigger than that, I know they are making more difference because they actually love Jesus and want to perpetuate that. My fear has been that I would have to assimilate a non-believer into a church culture and allow him to make the decision to follow. But this perpetuation of culture is not a perpetuation of discipleship so for a while I have been... trying to find a way to graft a small group of people with the express purpose to journey with Jesus. But... you need people - I need people. So in the end, all my lofty ideas and ideals remain as such: conceptual and not actual.

BUT I have been entertaining in my own heart that maybe there is a "ministry" for me. Now, don't comment and give me that shit that God will use me whereever I am. I KNOW that. It's the perception of effectiveness that I'm lacking. I work with a kid who is deeply intellectual. He adheres to evolution. My job as a follwer of the way is to help him understand that there is a God who loves him and that we are indeed a fallable race which is need of redemption. Sure, there may have been adaptable qualities to creatures over time, who cares, that's not the issue. I realize I'm here for such a time as this and I don't know how seriously I take it.

Anyway, I may think of ministry in the nominal sense, but I'm also struggling with becoming a math teacher. Do I blindly pick one with no real clue what direction to take? I don't know. But here is where I have to end it because this is only a thought in process and in progress. I welcome your views and experiences based on such. Albeit, this is a huge blog and you will only probably look at the short paragraphs and the crappily drawn pictures. I like comments on those too.

With that, I must do my to do list. Later!

Home repairs

2006-02-25T10:20:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, the weekend. After a much busy week at school and pondering whether to go back to gt more schooling to teach at school, nothing makes your weekend go by faster than doing stuff. So that's why this week I've resolved to cleaning out my car, putting moulding around my attic door, and to explore the wonderful world of installing recessed (canned) lighting at my sister's house. I could take pictures of the various work I've done but that would be too flaunty. I could tell you about it but that may be too braggy. But I will do this. If you have questions about home repair from changing a lightbulb to installing something that hold lightbulbs, I can help.

Here are some pictures for your entertainment

What's up? Who cares?

2006-02-23T20:24:00.000-05:00

Some of you out there may stumble upon my site from time to time perhaps out of curiousity regarding not having heard from or of me for a while. I do actually treasure my Bethany acquaintenceships and the other random friendships I have gathered on the road. It has been brought to my attention by a couple people (one an Italian girl who I head went to IWU thinking it meant Italian Women's University and another gal who was my neighbour for a few months and misinterpretted various things I said which made me sound like a very dirty man) that there is genuine curiousity about my current whereabouts, status and occupation. Here's the timeline:

June 2004 I take on an internship at Trinity Wesleyan in Indianapolis. I develop a deep friendship with one Jonathan Shepherd and an even deeper, multifaceted, complete relationship with a gal by the name of Emily Schuch.

In that course of time I realized that "Church work" ain't where it's at for this cat. But I still stayed there a year anyway, mostly for an immigration advantage and marriage and all sorts of things that required some form of formality about them and that was actualized by my re-entrance into the States on an R-1 visa in January 2005. But there were some fun times in the office. Times where me and Jono had to remove some equipment from the office and it got "damaged" in transit. I think we "accidentally" dropped a printer, an air conditioning unit (that accidentally fell from the roof), and pumpkins I think. There was some foodstuff that we ended up playing baseball with.

July 2005 Me and Emily get married! I don't care if that was bad grammar. But the fact stands that there are some unbelievers. Well, that's too strong of a word but you get the gist. Here is a random sampling of some wedding photos.

Also in July I got my Employment Authorization card. I tried my hand as a painting contractor. Did a couple jobs and changed my mind. I also worked construction on a house for a guy building the house for his daughter. That was fun. I learned a lot about carpentry, concrete, and siding (my favorite part!)

October 2005 I celebrated my birthday in Gulfport, Mississippi. "I totally got FEMA'd" was the running phrase midst my crew. I tarped roofs and participated in cleaning up a yard that had rotting pork bellies and chickens. They were there for two months by that time. One of these pics is a shot of burning clothes after a day of working in rotting filth.

December 2005 I start my new job as an Orthopedic Instructional.... no... Orthopedically Impaired... no, not sure that's it... Instructional Assistant to the Orthopedically Impaired... blast it! I help out a couple kids who have special needs do to dibilitating degenerative conditions. It's pretty rewarding but I don't feel like I do much. If I can be Jesus to them I guess that'll count. Being in high school is weird. I have a hard time dissolving from the cool Sween who wants to be the friend of all the kid and listen to their music and applying the authoritative Sween who tells kids not to swear, which, in my opinion is not a worthy battle. Will some kid say down the road, "Gee, thanks for getting after me that day when I said the "s" word, Mr. Sweeney! I'm a changed (wo)man because of it!" Yeah, right.

Anyway, this is my life. Am I who you want to be?

The Blues Scene

2006-02-22T23:00:00.000-05:00

I am not a concert guy. though I am a musician this may seem surprising. I don't know why, I guess I never really liked the crowds, or maybe there were the songs I couldn't just fast forward through. I live in the outskirts of Indianapolis and seeing that I always thought I wanted to go to concerts when I lived in Nova Scotia, where the nearest GOOD concert was three hours away in Halifax, I never do, even though a popular stage is mere minutes from my present location. This may not be an oddity but maybe it's the unconventional musician in me, the one that loves to jam. That's why I like to go to the blues bar. It's full of no name talent and it rocks. I come home and feel as though I want to pick up my guitar with a refurbished passion. But I'm tired. I will wait till tomorrow.

Oh yeah. One more thing. Whitey wanted to take a bunch of pictures of various buildings on the way down. I felt like a tourist (or at least an accomplice to a tourist). But I joined in the fun anyway. Here's a nice shot of Indianapolis's Monument in Monument Circle.

Getting Old and Bands from the Nineties

2006-02-21T19:56:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I forget how old I am. You can certainly relate if you are someone who has surpassed all the anticipated milestones that occur in life. Let me break them down for you:

Age 16: You get to drive a car (or at least go for your beginner's license and provided you don't fail that twice you can get your restricted permit in due time).

Age 18: In the States you can purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products if you're into that kind of thing.

Age 19: Ahhh, that magic age in Canada where you can drink and smoke (legally). Lottery tickets can also be purchased.

Age 21: If you're American NOW you can finally buy liquor. I remember this being an age where it was nice to be an age that is 7 times 3 which two OTHER magic numbers.

Age 23: I think I could rent a car... I can't remember. Yeah, I'm pretty sure

Age 25: You CAN RENT A TRUCK!!!!! BOO-YAH! (you are also at a short lived balance between 20 and 30

Age 65: Retirement

As you can see, I don't have much else to look forward to as far as age is concerned. Of course there are certain milestones that occur in the course of life like marriage (am currently experiencing that) child birth (uhhh.... not that yet) and child rearing (in which the whole age cycle is perpetuated unless changes in drinking and driving age occur).

While I am talking about age, I must stress this important fact. The music you thought was cool whill eventually NOT be cool anymore. Well, maybe it's not that drastic, but your old music will most likely be forgetten unless you decide to educate the up and comings about what was (and still is) cool back in the day.

This observation came to me recently. I went to a flea market and I bought some old CDs. Among them was Silverchair Freak Show and Rage Against the Machine Self-Titled.

You can imagine my delight as I came across these treasures. Imagine my dismay as a guitar teacher who also works at a high school when I tell my students "Guess what I bought? Some old Rage Cds and a Silverchair cd!" "Uuugh... whut? Never heard of them"

If that is how I ended this post it would be rather dismal. But let me leave you with this: I was much delighted in my recent dialog with Whitey about music we liked back in the day (mind you my high school days were his college days) and it lifted my soul. So now we have reminiscing and nostalgia to look forward to!

Until retirement... this is all I have to say.

The Adventures of Odysseus

2006-02-21T18:12:00.000-05:00

Hmmm...

Yeah, I haven't really written much. I guess I have come to the conclusion that blogging isn't the center of my life. However, I will approach it as an entertaining hobby. It was nice to see 5 comments on my last post :).

So what's going on? you may ask if you're genuinely curious or just plain nosy. Not much, I will reply. I have the pleasure of hosting Whitey at my house. I think at various times I miss the comraderie of my maritime friends. You have all these great friends in college and then you all get dispersed to the far ends of the earth and most of us lack the meaningful art of conversation in which to extend that great friendship despite the immediate lack of geographic propiety. I have also come to the conclusion that a blog is a great way for me to use big words that I may not even use in proper context.
I may be mistaken about the art of conversation thing. I guess I tend to think of myself as that guy in college who everybody knew but didn't have an immediate clique. Anyway, no need to go on about my former college woes. I need to tell you about The Odessey.

Now that I've finished Lewis's Space Trilogy, I have now turned my sights to a book I've owned but not read yet. The Odessey is an intriguing read. It makes you appreciate the fact you aren't a polytheist who is governed by the pettiness of gods who have the same intrinsic fallen character of humankind. If you are a polytheist, my apologies, but it seems to me as I read this that it is not possible for any harmony to exist if such a pantheon of gods ruled. Nonetheless, it is all about an adventure and stuff like that that makes an entertaining novel (even though Homer wrote it as a poem).

Join me next time when I express my feelings on growing up and how my taste in music hasn't changed.

A long time coming

2006-02-01T19:30:00.000-05:00

**This is an addendum to this particular post. It has been express by some that I am not really married. All I have to say is that I am and I will post random pictures over the course of time. Keep your eyes open!**

It occurred to me that I have not written for a long time. That is true. It was brought to my attention by a friend of mine who I will refer to as "Dan the Man".

So what sort of zaniness will I script tonight? Well, for one I must say I enjoy C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy (despite the very different and almost boresome third book in the series). However, reading this third book of it I am reminded of my roots. Not that my roots are founded in 1950s England, but rather in the fact that it is foggy and the characters enjoy doing work over a brew or smokes. Albeit, smoking is a bad habit with inherent health risks. However, this cat enjoys a social drag now and then. And of course there's the social brew.

I'm not really advocating or protesting anything, I guess I'm sharing just a few of my favorite things. I would also like to be a novelist someday. Right now, I guess I will resort to just being me. And that me is going to play my guitar at a coffee shoppe (or cafe, if you will) Saturday morning.

Maybe I will have something more to share. I'm always thinking and most likely always concocting something controversial in my worldview at best.

That, friends, are my words for today

Things we do

2005-12-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

We are a queer folk us homo sapiens types. What with our indulging in gorging ourselves full in order to celebrate giving thanks. Or even ungraciously Christmas shopping ecaus eit's an obligation. You better buy some presents to maintain your stature with people close to you. I'm sure that's not always the case cause I can see that being some people's case. It's interesting. And here's another one! We get ticked at the person driving in front of us in rush hour traffic who let's someone go ahead of them yet when we want a break in the traffic turning left onto Allisonville Rd. we want that good Samaritan to be the next car that drives by. Oh... they're driving by... ok maybe the next one.

On Words

2005-10-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

The english language and perversions thereof are funny. We make words out of existing words which in turn creates a funny root word.

For instance: Workaholic; Chocoholic

Derivative: Alcoholic - One who is enslaved to consuming alcohol.

So does a chocoholic mean a person is addicted to chocohol or a workaholic to workahol? What does it mean?

On the subject of word usage, what about the word temper. We use the phrase "I'm going to lose my temper" if someone is about to get mad but if someone is notorious for being mad they "have a temper". What does it all mean?

I've also heard the word de-thaw like "I'm going inside to de-thaw and then have some hot chocolate" But doesn't thaw mean to melt? So if you're de-thawwing, then you must be freezing yourself or the direct object, right? But all this isn't to say the person in the above sentence is a chocoholic, because as we stated, there is no use of chocohol.

Someone give me their take on this: "You're awfully pretty!" and "Your homework is pretty awful"
Interesting, no? Yeah, you're right, I do need a life... or a library card.

Small Worldness

2005-10-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

I just came back from Starbucks... taking a short repreive from my homework. I drive by a white car that used to be one that sat in Medders' driveway back in the day. Well guess what? It was! The license plate BYE 170 from New Brunswick IS Medders' car, only Nate Medders is driving it. I saw it at Pizza hut. He works there.

I saw another NB license plate yesterday. It was Jane Trafton's. I barely have it memorized but it starts with "G". She is going down to Gulfport, MS with a group that I'm going with. And there was also this dude I saw in the play "Godspell" going too. I knew I recognized him and he recognized me as the guitarist from "Man of La mancha".

There is actually a telos... a purpose, if you will, to this particular blog.

I need five people to pray for me on this Katrina trip. There is no real imminent danger going to Gulfport as there could be if I was in New Orleans. The thing is we're a group who going down for four days to bring a ray of hope to these people's lives. We are one of many groups who has and will go down. So specifically, I would like to have one contact at least to pour into down there. I am also going with a bunch of different personalities (I mean other people, not my own)... 27 to be exact. So of course (any of you who have travelled on chorale will resonate with me) there WILL be opportunity for personality clashes. So I guess as much harmony as there can be, I would covet it.

So If you can pray for me, let me know. Don't say you will if you don't mean it, I know I'm often guilty of saying and not delivering. Leave a comment or email me or call me if you'd like. I can give more specifics but I am not entirely sure what all to pray for myself. We're helping rebuild buildings and helping people cope I would guess.

Thank you!

Breaking Murphy's Law

2005-10-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

The answer: YOU CAN'T!!

You would think as often as I have been using a hammer these last few week I would learn how not to hit my thumb. Well, I do an okay job of it and I have mentioned in a previous post about how I had a mishap in church with a hammer.

Today I was nailing Soffit into the bottom of a bay window juncture. If you don't know what soffit is, don't worry about it. It's aluminum sheeting of some sort. The important detail is the tiny nail with a tiny nail head I have to use to secure these things. Luckily Nelson left cause I wouldn't want him to question my... salvation or something because of the words I used (loudly, mind you) when I smashed my thumb with a nail. It is bruised now. I wondered if the Amish fellahs heard me. I should have said "flacon de mais*" cause it does the same thing only has less harsher meaning. I guess...

Here's where Murphy's law comes in. I think there is an addendum to the law that states "If you injure yourself, it is guaranteed that injury will keep coming into contact with solid objects at a high speed or vice versa." I must've hit my thumb ten more times since then. Not only that, as I was walking, I rammed my thumb into the claw part of my hammer. Tell me, how often does that happen? I have not experienced that since I've been using the loop in my carpenter's pants for the hammer like it should be. I tell ya!

Now the areas around my thumb (spec. index finger) come into contact with something that harms it. I came home for lunch (still home as I write) and open the cupboard door for a glass. Wouldn't you know it my finger got stuck begind the handle and twisted it. Makes me mad! Anyhow, enough ranting for now. These things add character I know. This is more about the only law I know of that cannot be broken.

* flacon de mais is french for "corn flakes". So if you ever get mad, yell "flacon de mais" and people will think, "Oh, this guy is mad mad mad!" But really, you're just saying "Corn flakes!" Doesn't work so well in english.

Sween Dog Emails

2005-10-11T12:30:00.000-05:00

I love Homestarrunner.com. The emails and Teen Girl Squad are always entertaining. Sometimes I always think of different things that could be used as emails for Strongbad to respond to. Well here's some pretend emails I made up in my head to ask myself and I'll answer them with a real event that happened to me.

Ding-dong dear Sween Dog. How do you get free stuff? Everyone likes free stuff!

Homer Sexual
Sandford

Dear Homer,

It's easy to get free stuff. It's all in how you play it up when you pay for stuff. Especially in Drive -thrus.
Why, just today I got a free starbucks coffee. I knew it was gonna come to $1.61 so I grabbed 6 quarters a dime and a penny before I left for whereever I went today.
As I tried to pay, my arm bumped the side of my car and my change flew everywhere in the car. It is important to state your exasperation at the fact all your change flew to the four corners of your car (or in the case of my Geo Metro with a hatchback, quite possibly just under the seat). Then express the fact that it was exact change. This most likely indicates you only have that exact amount, or you're a tight wad who doesn't like to break bills. So the monologue will sound something like this:

"AAAARRRGGGGH! And of course I had exact change too."

The result is: "Don't worry. It's on the house."

There are other ways to get free stuff without stealing from a retail store. Why you can volunteer to sort clothes at a hurricane drop off centre and snag some tacky crap that people drop off. Like my friend "what the Hect" Nick Hect. He managed to grab a sequiny zebra shirt and a tacky Christian propaganda T-shirt that stated "I'm the Christian the devil warned you about"

What the hell? Ooops... I mean, what the Hect? Why do people drop off crap like that? Like homeless people want to wear that schize (I'm sure the Amish use this to express their angst in term of feces).

Well, anyway, that all the time I have for today. Until next time when I decide to write more observations of the obvious.

Sveen Daag

The Opera and the Amish

2005-10-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

Two new experiences occured yesterday. The Opera and the Amish.

The Amish are a queer folk who shave only their mustaches yet grow lengthy beards. Apparently they let the teenage folk do whatever they want until they decide to be a part of the Amish church. I believe such teenagers are call rumpfscha. I am unsure of the spelling of pronunciation seeing only heard the tern the first time today from my present boss Nelson. He's a Mennonite fellah. Lot of both types up his way. It was interesting to see an Amish drywall hanging company at work. I think the rumpsha fellow was the one who yelled "DAMMIT" all the time. He also dyed the top of his hair... that rebel. I occasionally heard obscure dialectic German in the run of their conversations.

The opera had nothing to do with dialectic German, but rather, genuine French. Not Quebec french or Acadian french, but real France french. And it well should be because it was written by some French guy back in the day. There was no fat lady. There was a fat guy who was the king of his fishing village. So I don't really know when the opera ended. We left after the first act. I kinda didn't want to because it was rather intriguing. It was free... we always leave free things early... like the orchestra... by the way, you'll see a reference to that in my upcoming post :Life is laughable::part deux.

This is more of an information session than it is a humor column, so why don't I immerse you in some of the culture that lived a couple miles away from me growing up! I will mix an exclusivist group with a fishing village. It's like combining the Opera and the Amish, only you don't get singing and mustacheless beards. You get whiny drawn out nasaly "EEEEEYYAAAANNGGHH"s and wrinkly old sea salts that may have beards and gnarly teeth. This mystical far away land is called Sandford, and those who dwell therein are called Sandfordites. This breed is not particularly bright and they are related to each other. Hence the last names Landers and Thurston. (Not to be mixed up with the articulate Landers' I know in Pembroke, Massachusetts or whereever they may be)
The only place you'll see a chimney fire in July... is in Sandford
The busiest time of year for the Yarmouth Fire Department is... Sandfordite grass fire season.
The only place you'll see a boat on fire... might very well be Sandford.

Sandford... also known as "The place where the women cook and the men go 'EEYAAANGH'".

Accreditted for the world's smallest (quasi-functional) drawbridge, this quaint little village draws many tourists. I am sure that a misconception of Canadians is brought on by an encounter of the American kind with the Sandfordite kind.

Sadly, I am now developing a drawn out nasaly "EEEEYYAAAANNGH" when I deeply think. I swear it is only a short "Eyangh" but my wife is convinced I've been away from the drawbridge's presence too long. It has the opposite effect of kryptonite to Superman.

If you want to find a cure for "EEEEYAAAANGGGH-cer" then please send a generous donation by check or money order to me.
Thank you! May your lobster traps be full, your wife always cook and your boat never catch fire.

Life is laughable

2005-10-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

I suffer from random unseriousness. If an event is to be serious or has some dignity about it I have this uncanny spiritual gift of making it comedic.

Graduation Day - Ahh... the day where I got my piece of paper that says I have all but one course...As I went up, I was playing in my head everything that had to be done. Approach the podium - turn to my right - Get my sash thingy - shake hands - get diploma - pose - walk off.
This happened a few months ago but the stark mishappedness of it all is worth reiterating. I approach the Podium (while Dr. Gavel was reading the three other names [which were female] I started walking. My thoughts were louder than his voice apparently. Why not walk, I'm the only one here, I thought) Slightly embarrassing Then I face the Pres and assumed to turn. I asked him with a short hand motion "Do I turn this way?" while jerking right thumb in the same direction. He said go ahead. I turned. Deafening pause. I turned to ask Pres, "Was I supposed to turn now?" Pres: "You're fine". Then everyone laughs. It is at this point that Dr. Gavel assumes reading the absentee list and then gets to my name. Oh... oops Relatively embarrassed Ok, I can get my sash and shake hands (in my case hug) without incident. But then I pose. Crap! I thought to myself, my diploma is sideways! What do I do? Turn it 90 degrees only to have it slip from my hands. But it didn't just fall on the stage, it tumbled down every step. No time to act Embarrased I swiftly picked it up, held it propoerly while laughing too hard. The place erupted with laughter! Too Sween to regret embarrassment

This past Sunday during Jonathan's seromn response time, we had to nail nails into a cross for people we were going to actively persue this month in friendship. I walked up to the stage and then thought, I have time before guitar parts come in, I'll pound my two nails. It did cross my mind "What if I hit my thumb?"
First nail - flawless
Second nail - hit my thumb. It hurt. Nail went flying past Emily Goff's head. Those around me laughed. Thumb still hurts today.

I have so much more to write. This particular post will be updated various and sundry times.

I'M GONNA GO BMV!!!!!!

2005-09-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

In case you couldn't tell, I had a bad run-in with a Government Agency we affectionately know as the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. I love going in to wait in a line outside in 45 degree weather at 8:40. I was there actually about 8:20 waiting... the place opens at 8:30 I reassured myself, looking at the sign on the door. I can imagine the enjoyment of the 20 some odd fellow human beings who waited with me. I fgured, renewing a license plate sticker is a snap! I just need my registration card.

I get inside and I'm the first one who requires a number. No problem. A couple minutes later, I am helped by a young gentleman who informs me I need my policy number for my insurance. I didn't even get that in the mail yet... "Oh, you need to change your address? Do you have your license?" "Well, I have nothing on my person that qualifies that, sir, seeing the BMV commissoner and his associates are taking a fine time processing my license on account of my immigration status." "Well, you need to come back with your policy number and your address change document."

My blood pressure assumes a healthy 145/70 range in the run of life. At this point it is about 160/79.

I drive back. Get my piece of paper the BMV issued me as a temporary permit to drive. "Hey! It has my address! They gotta take it!" Called the insurance place, got my Policy number, no problem.

I return to the BMV building to be asked at the desk, "what are you here for, sir?"

"I need to renew my registration"

"Will you be changing your address?"

"Yes ma'am and here's a piece of paper one of your officials issued me a month or so ago."

"No sir, that won't do. We need an electronically issued bill."

185/82 "WHAT!?! ... I'll be back..." I utter through clenched teeth and thoughts of going on a ballistic rampage.

I left so mad. I thought, the next epidemic in America is going to be irate vehicle owners who have to put up with the shit they call BMV protocol. I cleverly thought to myself, "instead of going postal, I'm going BMV!"

I need air. I need time. I need to cool my jets lest I make an ass of myself in public (not an uncommon occurance regardless).

After some wise counsel, I tried the machine at the grocery store. Why, the machine doesn't need proof of my residence... it doesn't need proof of anything. If I can rattle off my SS# and license plate, I'm golden! Five minutes and $32.00 later, I have a new sticker for my plate!

God bless America! We have machines to make life easy! And on top of that, you just need to be an idiot to work at BMV. You have to be fleixble too, cause it takes quite the agility to be able to stick your head up your ass. Am I bitter? Not anymore!

Unbelieveable!!!

The Game of Life

2005-09-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

I love the fact we don't know erverything. I was just talking to Maves today. I was hoping to talk to Ross too. Those are a couple of my favorite guys. I guess this whole life thing is more like a journey about things we know nothing about except how we like to like things and how we should think that people like to be liked too. I guess this is entirely theoretical or something and I'm sure I make no sense because words don't come to me that describe this journey at all.

It's almost like all the things Christianity lobbies for to the detriment of making an ass of itself are not what I stand for at all. Sure, there are wrongs in the world. It's a messed up place. I certainly do not think that we're coming that close to end times. In fact, I'm beginning to approach Scripture less as an answer book and more like... a history or a portrait... something that reveals something about the very nature of redemption and the continual reminder that nothing has changed.

Humanity has this tendancy to choose less than the best and in turn produces what we call evil. This has been the way it's always been and I think our job as followers of Christ are to be catalysts for redemption. I've fully embraced that redemption is not about tell gays they're going to hell, but it's more coming alongside and telling them that they're the same as everyone else, but with a different issue and that being gay is the same in God's economy as guys who lust after other women, or marrieds who divorce.

To properly be an anti-abortionist is to proactively adopt and come alongside a confused hurting carrier of a fetus who hasn't really known love perhaps and is in this state of trying to find love through giving her body to guys who don't really love and as a result they create life. On top of her confusion and guilt, Christian lobbyists protest, perhaps laying the whole "You're going to hell" deal instead of listening to their fears, guilts, etc. should they so divulge.

In fact, I would daresay, I'm a Democratic Christian (but being a Canadian, I really don't adhere to an American Left or Right, but I'm certainly more left than right) but my saying that is mostly an expression of my against the grainness.

During election time last November, I found it interesting how the Christian sect supports the Bush administration. Why? Because:
1) They are Pro-life
2) Against Homosexual Marriage
3) On a mnission to wipe out "infidels", I mean... terrorists.

Response by one guy, namely myself:
1) I have already asserted my post-colonial view of an apporach to Abortion.

2) I have kind of asserted my position about loving gays into the kingdom but to allay fears that I support gay marriage, I will say this. Gay marriage is not the issue. This is the product, perhaps, of shunning a group that wants some acceptance and rights the same a hetero-sexual couples do. I do believe marriage to be the union of one man and one woman for LIFE unless for reasons such as death or infidelity. So, if a group who loves Jesus and people really wanted to make a difference, I would daresay, share your imperfections and that Christ came to reattach this broken world, really. There is so much hurt that leads to sin and evil. Our job is not to lobby, but to labor... in love... selflessly.

3) I understand the events of 9/11 to be tragic. It seems that the terrorism rooted in Afganistan under direction of Osama. Hey! has anyone heard from him these days? Nope. He remember George sr.? Yeah, I think 'Desert Storm' occured in his regime... yep. It did. Hey! What happened to the 'War on Terrorism'? Oh, it's still there with new title 'War in Iraq'. Would this have happened if the hornet nest wasn't stirred? Hard to say. Too much looks like in my mind the recovery of the unfinished work of the Senior's administration.

To anyone I've offended, remember, this is my opinion and I'm not lobbying against the administration. I'm hoping to challenge everyone's worldview. I'm not suggesting I'm right. This is my opinion. Of course I think I have some correctness, but everyone who has an opinion likes to think it's correct. Please, let's learn to learn... not take things for fact because it's been presented to us by the Church or media that "This is the way it is". I think in any case of polar opposites, there is good and bad in any extreme.

Now I will go into hiding...

Hulkamania and painting

2005-09-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Do you remember Hulk Hogan? I'm sure he's still alive today. Do you remember how he would always rip his shirt when he came into the ring? He was one bad dude.

Today Aram and I, mostly Aram, are going to rub down the surfaces we're going to prime and paint. So of course I needed a rag. I saw two towels (hopefully they were supposed to be rags, I saw them in the garage) and decided, "Hey, I'll rip this one in half! EEEEENNNNNRRRRRGH!" Well, you can't rip through seams that good, so I snipped the seam. From there, it was Easy Street (there is actually an Easy St. down the road from me) until I came across the other seam.

Hulk Hogan didn't have any seams or collars on the shirts he ripped. So... was he a real bad dude after all? Probably not.

And that my friends... are my words for today.

Being proven wrong

2005-09-16T23:09:00.000-05:00

My good friend Lynn Erskine has a blog and I posted a comment in response to the fact that he has two Lynn Erskines in his family now. One is a man. I said I couldn't imagine because Ryan is exclusively masculine. It is Irish for "little king". Well, in one day I've experienced being proven wrong, not once, but twice. Gwyn Crowther told me she knows some girl named Ryan in her youth group. I thought that was weird. I then watched the Biggest Loser (only because I have three channels and there wasn't much to watch) and a girl has the name Ryan. So it could be, in fac t, that there could be two Ryan Sweeneys in my family and no homosexuality would have to be involved.

Let's give it up for unknowingly unisex names!

The unfinished life

2005-09-16T23:00:00.000-05:00

I met Brian McLaren today. I went to a very insightful conference of his about the Unfinished Congregation. I loved it! My heart just resonates with what he's teaching. I think very much the spirit of our present age is shifting. Everyone is into social justice so it's almost as if people are standing for things and being active with those less fortunate. Look at Bono and Lara Croft in the recent expeditions over the past while with third world countries. It's like people have this drive to make their lives count. Yet it seems as though the Christianity that clings to absolutism of the modern age, just isn't what people are looking for. Christianity seems synomymous with Anti-homosexuality and exclusive, and hypocritical. Certain Christian individual may not be that way, but we have to get out of our mould and allow this shift in age to bring us up to date and maybe even being catalysts for change for the future.

I, myself have been very influenced by this shift in spirit. My heart yearns for no more hypocrisy, no more walking by the opressed and poor. It's time to get off my ass and do something. And often times I may put too much burden on myself and say it's too BIG but I believe very much our responsibility is to take on those big things as a collective unit.

So much to think about. I don't want to invite people to church because God isn't there. We lean so heavily on experience. We want a tangible God, and the thing is is that God is tangible and experienceable. And anbother thing is that people want to be heard, not told how God is, or what to do to fit into a mould. I guess I'm venting a minute stream of frustrations with the way things have been done. Sure, I'm half cut right now... well, not really, but I guess I'm wanting to let the world know we need to make disciples not converts. It may be a long painful process but hey, it's worth it. Christ didn't die so we ould commercialize Christianity or to sit on our ass everyday of the week.

Those are my words for today.

Whatever you do... don't look down!

2005-09-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

The other day I was working on the house down the road. I don't mind ladders, in fact, I kinda like them... you know, those folding ones that you can sit on the top even thouigh they have the picture of a stick man sitting on the top and there's the red circle cross thing suggesting "Don't do what Donnie Dont does" (old Simpsons reference). But when it comes to a foot wide aluminum platform spanning across the greatroom of the house, I don't feel as secure. In fact, I take walking on it very slow. If that beam was only a mere 4 or 5 feet above the ground, it wouldn't be so bad. But it's 12 feet up. And the funny thing is, if you look down, you freak yourself out! Isn't that funny?

I wonder if I have a fear of heights, or a fear of falling. Maybe the height induces the psychological reaction of, "Oh, if I fall, this is going to suck." But if I'm on a boat, I don't have a fear of falling into the bottom of the lake. Weird huh?

What sort of things freak you out? Is it logical?

The following is a list of other things that I despise:
Fingernails (and the scraping thereof onto fabric)
Toenails (same classification)
A Paintbrush rubbing alongside painter's tape on doors or window frames

That's about it for now.

Back to Mega man!

Of Tommy Lee and Mega Man 3

2005-09-07T10:36:00.000-05:00

Don't you hate interruptions? It's kinda like... you're in the middle of a dook and someone knocks on the door real loud and scares you! They don't scare the crap out of you, in fact it's almost like it's scared back into you.

That is not the topic of discussion this morning but the feeling of being interrupted whether you're doing something and the desired result doesn't come to pass because you were startled, or maybe you're watching a movie. It is soooo good and then there's this twist and then the movie sucks all of a sudden. The sudden suckiness takes place of what was to be a catharsis. Take, for example, The Village. The movie builds itself up to make you believe it's set in some small village in the 1800s. And then it turns out... it's not! That was one of those kind of movies. There are others for sure.

So I'm watching TV last night, we only have three channels. Of course all that is on is more updates on the aftermath of Katrina. The stark reality of this is disturbing. I'm watching all this and seeing all the people without homes and the dead bodies and the dogs that are stranded, it's real sucky. And then the news ends. What comes on next? Tommy Lee goes to school. That was an interruption. I was feeling all subdued and this clown comes on and it just blows my mind at the American stupidity called reality TV. I shut it off. This is not a slam on Reality TV. I agree with an other scholar who stated that instead of complaining about it don't watch it. It can't bug you if you're not watching it. All in all this is just an observation of the human psyche in its emotive involvement in entertainment. Quite a profound thing.

What sort of things make you feel interrupted?

I think I'm also longing for the days when I had nothing to do but play Nintendo. Not the case cause I have a job now and a family (and school work...YIKES! ). I'm playing Mega Man 3 on an NES emulator.

What were your favorite NES games of all time? I'm liking Mega Man because I always anxiously await the new level of Stinkoman on h*r.

And that my friends... are my words for today

You always have time for Tim Horton's... Unless you live in Indianapolis

2005-09-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

In my last episode I posed the question "If you could do anything you wanted and not be inhibited by what other people think of what you're doing." The responsed ranged from being a bounty hunter in Ireland to living in a mushroom with windows eating only Applebee's boneless wings and dying shortly thereafter. Come to think of it, those responses both came from the Brothers Jews.

Unfortunately I didn't pose my question specific to one's burning heart's desire to change the world like Christ intended. So if there are any thoughts on that, I will gladly hear them. I think we just need to start doing selfless acts regardless of what others think. You may be surprised at the results. Of course don't go for results so much as allowing such a change in your life to be that of character development.

So I had a dream last night I was at Tim Horton's. It may have been Yarmouth, it may have been a small inland town in New Brunswick. Regardless, I think I miss Tim's coffee. We have overpriced Starbuck's will is in the market of experience, not coffee. I have experienced much bad coffee and a hurting wallet to boot. I even thought of starting some Tim Hortons in Northeastern Indy. It could work. But unfortunately, no one would have time for Tim Horton's. Well, let me rephrase that. I don't feel that people have the lags in time that allow them to congregate at any place for hours on end. You can't do anything spontaneously around here! Am I complaining? Probably in some remote way, but I feel like I am just stating the shift in culture. It's just busy busy busy. It's not seriously easy going like Jamaican rum and yes, there is NO time for Tim Horton's.

But with everything we miss, we wouldn't miss it if we never had it in the first place.

What sort of things do you the reader miss? What would your life be like without it? What do you think life would be like if you never experieneced the thing you presently miss? What things have you never experienced that you think you would miss?

I would probably not anxiously await the new levels of Stinkoman from week to week if I never started playing on h*r in the first place. I would probably have more time to finish or think about finishing my school work. I never experienced the canyons in Utah and Arizona. I might miss that... except for the scorpions and rattlesnakes.

And that my friends... are my words for today

Well isn't this fancy?

2005-09-02T11:31:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is. Nothing special really. I did sign up for a blog a long time ago but I never really used it. Maybe I will from now on? Who knows. I usually have some deep thought but gets lost by being replaced by other thoughts.

So here's my first deep thought that I'm sure every one really thinks about. If you could live life without being influenced by what you think everyone else would think of you, what would you do?