You know, Pandora's pretty awesome. It's free and it's whatever you want to listen to. If you like a song, you can put it in and it'll find things that are similar for you. Put in an artist and it'll play some of their best stuff. Perfect for setting a mood, and I don't think there's anything better for emotion than music in the background. I finally found the name of that song I love so much, Palladio by eScala, and now it's station is playing in the background. Just finishing off One by Eric Bieschke right now and here comes Vivaldi's Moor by Dark Moor. Darker sounding instrumental music, beautiful but with a little bit of racier bits of action as well. I like it.
You know who else was good? The White Stripes. Just throwing that out there.
Anyway, wanna talk about my day now? Sure you do, there's not much to hear.
I stayed up way too late last night and didn't wake up this morning until God-knows-when, 9 or something? I was still tired but we were assigned chores, which we pounded out in less than an hour and I crashed back on the couch. I woke up to hear mom's less-than-satisfied response, changed the laundry, and then laid back down to sleep through Wesley's third birthday party, which he probably didn't really want me at anyway. Let the crazy kids have their fun, you know? Wrecked the house we cleaned as well, but we knew we were probably going to have to clean it again soon anyway.
You know what I could really go far right now? Another good movie. I haven't watched one since Limitless, which I told you about, although I did get to watch a little more 24 on Wednesday. I've been rewatching that, Season Two's nuke just detonated. George Mason proved his sarcastic little self to be quite the hero. Plus, he saved Jack Bauer's life. How many men can say that? Not many, Jack's pretty much unstoppable.
I'm not quite that way, aspiring, but not there yet haha. Today's day resumed around 4:00? Don't really have a clue. All I remember is that I was finally able to get dressed since the dryer had finished its work and that I knew that I had to go to this church thing in a couple of hours. I probably could have made it to small groups for the first couple hours, I don't really know why I didn't. I tried to make it to the end and that didn't work, but I'm all right with going to hang with them tomorrow at their youth group if that's cool with Ryan. I love Long Hill, could seriously spend 7 (well maybe just 6 =p) days a week with them.
Oh yeah, that reminds me. Isn't one of the best things about heaven the fact that we're going to be able to spend every day with the people we love? No other pressures and basically we just get to worship together and everyone will love the Lord. Sounds heavenly, right? No kidding. Even though I've known that all my life, I didn't realize it until the depression onset by this year's winter camp withdrawals. I'm not joking. Sometimes it takes that long for me to process things. Like Leaves of Grass, when I read it for the first time I was way too young (like 6) and it wasn't until I saw it start applying that it made sense for me. Some of life's most important lessons take me years to process. Isn't that incredibly ridiculous? I wish I could just get things down the first time. Would make life go by so much easier. Just ask my mom.
What's up with the rainstorm in Evanescense's Eternal. It's cool and I like it, but mostly just because most people don't put natural sounds in their songs. Here comes another realization: Nature plays its own music. Composed by God, I guess. That's pretty cool. I guess I'll always listen differently while I'm outside now. Thank you Evanescence!
I've never seriously listened much to them. A little too goth for me, but I guess now that they're pretty artistic musicians. They topped the charts in 2003. At least that's what the Pandora page says about them. I like their sound now, this song has like 3 distinct acts, seemingly a lost art in today's music world. I feel kinda negative looking around the world right now, but it's negative in that honest kind of way that you don't feel so bad about. It just fills you in on the dark side of things.
So where was I on today's story? Oh yes, the church service. I wasn't initially very excited about it. We were heading out to the Barnes' church, which is somewhere out in West Orange. One of those small storefront churches, right next to a discount liquors store. Kind of a funny contrast when you get to thinking about it, especially when you consider the quality of the church's interior. Its entrance is pretty tiny, and you'd expect it to be some kind of rundown white-trashy kind of place. But it wasn't, it was honestly really, really nice. Like their kid's dropoff zone had like a live tv portraing four video feeds of that zone alone. I love those things, as they're one of those simple entertainment devices. Better than a mirror because it's electronic and less frequent, but still very simple. Watching yourself in it's always really fun, at least for me. I'll proudly admit it, I'm simply entertained. What's wrong with that?
The rest of the place was really nice as well. Like it had an interior cafe, nice finishings, and impressive decoration. It had a pretty big (Halo 2's music is playing now, it's actually pretty awesome as well. Just had to say, even though I don't like to interrupt.) sanctuary area, in which they hold several "celebrations" a weekend. I love that, by the way. It brings in a whole new purpose for what is otherwise commonly known blandly as a church service. Not that there's anything bland about the word "service," but when it's paired with church it's admittedly pretty negatively connotated. In my mind, at least.
Hmm.. what do I say next? No clue.
Where was I again?
Let's talk about the service. We started off with some worship. It was impressive, but in the opposite way (Dark Knight music! =)) of Katie's service. It certainly wasn't acapella. You had a drummer, a keyboardist, a synthesizer guy, a few guitarists (one was probably middle-school aged, which is cool) [I'm loving this Batman music, it makes me feel tough. But creeped out by the joker parts.] {I also feel like I'm running really fast.} There was also like 8 singers who came on stage, and it looked like only one of them had the mike. The keyboardist was obviously the leader, and he had a voice not unlike that of Jeremy Camp. Strong and powerful vocally, which must be a pretty nice thing to have. Mine's surprised me recently, developing nicely. It used to be terrible, but I guess my pitch is finally setting and I'll be able to sing well soon. I like the unique way my voice sounds too. Another cool song just came on: Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Variation) by Rob Dougan. It's good fighting music. Solid beat and it just keeps going, rising and rising. Feels like I'm getting ready for something, suited with armor, ready to go, bring it on, y'know? It's got a physical thing going on and a mental aspect and even a spiritual touch. If you listen to it, you'll know what I mean. It's steadily rising bass and synthesizer makes you feel physically, while on the side something kinda laughs (no clue what the instrument is) which reminds me of mental preparation, while you also have like the main melody line that doesn't really get a lot of attention and gets the spirit ready. Then it's unified into a singular piano movement, which must be the unification of them all together. How this is "Clubbed to Death," I have no idea. Synthesizers coming back in and what sounds like another piano. Sorry if I'm detailing this too thoroughly for y'all, this is what's running through my head behind what I write, all the time. We've got the bass coming back in now, more focus on it than before, but here comes that faster moving higher pitched synthesizer. Still rising. Now it's laughing again. We're basically where we were before. This is cool. Rising again. Like you got beat down ("Clubbed to Death?") and you're rising again. Fighting to survive, maybe? Everything's together now. Let's check how much more time we've got. Two minutes. I'm done describing it though. Unless something really cool comes up, and it's gotta be REALLY cool because I don't want to bore anybody to death.
Well, anyway, the room felt balanced between seated-to-standed worshipers in the seats and those up on the stage. There were so many that it felt like it could have been trimmed down a bit, a bit silly really, but it was still pretty cool. You could tell that their hearts were in it. (Song's done by the way, y'all are safe.) They were worshiping just as we were. They were simply leading in that they were showing us where to go, they weren't like intermediaries like in some other churches. They were also more obviously invested and involved in it as well. (Guys, if you want another cool song look up Vintage (Sans Drum) by Break of Reality. Makes me EVEN MORE in love with violin.) Which was cool, because you didn't feel alone in the worshiping yet in a space secluded for you and God. You could feel connected in that place. I guess this is what it means when they say that "You can feel God in this place." although I realized in discussion of this worship service, that cliche terms to describe religious concepts are among my most powerful turnoffs. Most of the time was spent worshiping, which I like, and the rest was classily executed by the congregation's head pastor and powerfully by a fiery Italian youth pastor from Queens. The guy really was a "radical," as the pastor described him. Established one of the country's largest youth groups (800+ kids,) has some "friends in high places," has raised a TON of money for his youth group, and goes all out for carrying out God's will. He acts in great faith. His sermon was about taking God at his word, acting accordingly, and maintaining this procedure in the times that "the brook dries up." He brought up that we're not to rely on the brook (the means by which God delivers his providence) but more so upon its source, which is God himself. [I swear I've thumbsed-up the last six songs on Pandora.]
This was a really cool message to hear, but I actually got more out of the pastor than the words he said. It was in the WAY he said them that made a difference. It was that which made an impact on me. He had such fire, such an untamed manner, and unbelievably powerful oratory ability. Well, I guess that's not really "unbelievable" considering his ethnicity, but it's still impressive, nonetheless. The guy had one hell of a motor, that shouldn't ever stop rolling.
If he can carry such power and make such a difference in pastoral work, why can't others of us? It's not even really him, (save faith, trust, and obedience) but rather God working through him. I know what that's like, to give yourself up completely and let God pick you up and carry you along the way, becoming essentially helpless in him. Like a trust fall, except God will not only catch you but raise you back up into a better place than you were before. I think he also takes joy in our own abilities, however, and takes pride in the choices that we make as independent entities, so don't think you can always be lazy; but if you ever hit rock bottom, know he can help you back up (there goes another cliche, but I'm too tired to rephrase it differently.) But seriously, the work God can do is beyond your wildest imagination. He can literally do WHATEVER he wants to and make you do whatever is right in His eyes.
The coolest thing about the speaker was that probably ninety percent of the words that came out of his mouth were quoted Scripture. He also stopped us on the most awesome of words, like "there," which he had us repeat and relay to the people around us. God told his prophet to go "THERE," which is important in itself because there isn't anywhere else! It's right THERE, not the other way, not almost there, but THERE, and that's where God will bless us. He used an umbrella to illustrate this point. A young man (I hate the way that word sounds, but is there really a better one? 20-something? That's less common. I'll use that.)
I know I've probably said this before, but the Transformer movies also have REALLY nice music. Perfect for heroic scenes. Way different as far as setting goes, but it could also fit the Gladiator or Braveheart soundtrack.
AND SHERLOCK HOLMES!!!!
I LOVE THAT SONG! AND THAT MOVIE! Sherlock Holmes is such an incredible character, Robert Downey Jr. such an incredible actor, Watson probably the best unwilling backup (supporting?) character in history, needless to say complemented by Jude Law's talent. Some good links for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGCMfprPJoA
major spoiler warning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=vuTmz_5p3hI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZngyFFGymI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcBKr4H2SEs
another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j8a5tr7hyg
The last one has perfect music, by the way. Also a bit of a spoiler. Hope I didn't ruin it for anyone who didn't heed warnings. Isn't Watson great though?
So back to the important stuff. Namely, my day. Because frankly, that's all you care about right now. Right?
That sermon was impressive. Sermon sounds too tame a word for him, yet now the term is a little more redefined. For me, at least. Sermons don't have to be old men in suits passing down wisdom. They can also be younger ones fighting just as you are. Nice to know. Reassuring.
The downside of the service, oops, celebration =) was that it coincided with Long Hill's small group time. Could've gone to the Folta residence and chilled with the guys, but was made impossible by the duration of the celebration and our stop at the nearby 911 memorial on the way home. Quality time that sacrificed another, as well as some embarrassment on part of failed planning. Hate it when things you're trying to work out don't, and those moments' distastefulness is amplified by the number of people involved. Letting down people is worse than having a day that doesn't go your way. I'll see them tomorrow, hopefully.
"bum bum boop boop bouooup
beep boouooup beep boouoop
bape boouooop beep boouoop boouoouoouooop
don't think about all those things you feel
just be glad to be
don't think about all those things you feel
just be glad to be..."
- Hayling by FC Kahuna -- completely random quote, onset by pldd (post letdown depression)
Sorry guys, got a little depressed there. Feel back upon senses. You ever do that? Rely on your senses when everything else is bringing you down? I do. Quite a bit, actually, now that I think about it.
Hybrid's Saladin is on now. That means From Kingdom of Heaven, which I know because the first sultan of Egypt and Syria was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim by that name. He was featured in Sid Meier's Civilization 4, which costarred is absurdly elongated schnozz.
Not to mention his B- facial hair array.
So... you've made it through my day. Basically. There's really not much left to say, so good night, I guess?
But not really, let's just chill for a while. We don't have to say much. I'm just too tired to go to bed. Gotta raise up some energy, you know? That walk's looking pretty long.
Hmm, what's this song? The Original Soundtrack for Halo 1. Oh, looks like the dog's gotta go out. Be right back. Well, if I've got energy for that I guess I don't have to torture you any longer. I can go to bed.
But before I do, did you know that this journal has past 300 views and has 5 from out of the country? Three from Germany and two from Ukraine. 310 from the States. Something funny that I'd never have guessed is that the leading browser is Safari. I would have figured Chrome or the good ol' Internet Explorer would have placed higher, but nope. Firefox is up there, who uses that? You?
Well, good night for real this time you Firefox user you.
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