Between Two Ferns

Watch this & laugh. If you are afraid of PG-11 words, then don’t watch it.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis on FunnyOrDie.com

My 10 Favorite Things of 2007

Who doesn’t like lists? The wifey is a list-freak, so she’ll be proud. Here are my 10 favorite things that happened to my life in 2007. It is possible something on this list actually came from 2006, or even 1983- but it had a role in MY 2007. In no particular order…

1) Vacation to Europe: This is obvious. London, Rome, Florence, Rennes and Paris. Not. Too. Shabby. Great time w/ Sarah, incredible history & experiences, and taking every form of transportation invented by man. Not to mention Wicked, drunken British Marines, and infected cysts.

2) Once- The Film & Soundtrack: This movie is great. I love music, and I love good films- this one (and it’s music) stuck with me for a long, long time.

3) My New Job: After 15 months in cubicle hell, I was offered a job doing what I love. I was hired as Youth Director at Opportunity Presbyterian Church in Spokane Valley. So far, so good. I get to be one of the few people who gets to do what they’re “meant to do” for a living.

4) Homebrew: I’ve begun brewing my own beer. It is a good hobby for me… and I really enjoy it. My last batch, a Mac & Jack’s clone, came out so well I did a little dance upon my first sip. Ok, it was a big dance.

5) Thursday Morning Breakfast: Every Thursday at 6:30 in the freakin’ morning, I had over to the Gonzaga district to have breakfast with some bros. Good friends, good sharing, good accountability- average food. But the orange-cranberry bagel w/ peanut butter was a revelation thanks to Landon.

6) Racquetball: My good buddy Sodes and I try to get over to the gym and play racquetball a couple times a week. I usually lose, and I often slam my racket into the wall in anger… but its good times.

7) TV: I know it is all “cool” to hate your TV and stuff… but there are just times when I love it. 2007 gave me a great times with Lost, Friday Night Lights, Chuck, 30 Rock, The Office, etc.

8 Music: I’ll lump these together… but in 2007 my soundtrack was: Sufjan Stevens, David Crowder Band, Spoon, Once Soundtrack, The Raconteurs, Rocky Votolato, Pedro the Lion, Pale Pacific, Built to Spill, Nickel Creek and, of course, Pearl Jam

9) The Brothers K: This book rocked my world. I read most of it while riding around in trains, buses, and planes in Europe- and it consumed me. Just about every page and every scenario rang honest to me. Read this book, and then join my David James Duncan fan club. God, Laughs & Plays is on my nightstand now. The River Why is next.

10) Hope for Christianity: 2007 continued to move forward the idea that Christians actually do care about serving Christ in a way that cares for the poor and marginalized of our world. Here’s to a 2008 that continues to see the public discourse of Christians around the world move further toward solving poverty, slavery and hunger.

Honorable Mentions: My niece Brenna, Nintendo Wii, Bellingham w/ the Weston’s & Pai’s, Rob Bell, NYWC in San Diego, Christmas w/ siblings, the Elk, Emmy, and seeing Shane Claiborne speak.

Juno is great, and I’m cooler now that I saw it.

Juno is one of those movies that, at this point, is almost too cool for school. Quirky characters saying super hip phrases and dressing like the knees bees while walking around to music sure to be on every indie kid’s iPod in the next month. However! This is a great movie. Really, really great. It is funny, it is great to look at, and totally believable. Ellen Page deserves any sort of awards and accolades she receives.

As much as the hype and “cool” factor prepared me to walk out disappointed… I couldn’t help but start smiling as soon as I saw the Sunny D, and I don’t think I stopped until I got into the car and heard that stupid Nickelback/Santana song on the radio.

I am so political

It’s official. I’m into this election thing. You could say that I’ve jumped on the ‘change’ bandwagon, and Bush can’t do anything right, and etc etc. But I voted in 2000 & 2004- so take that. But this year does seem different- it does seem historic, and I’m digging it. I watch MSNBC… a lot. I check blogs and websites. And believe it or not- I actually know the positions of the candidates. Shocking, I know.

And I’m also pretty darn sure I’m a Barack guy. Now, this actually isn’t a bandwagon case. In fact, I remember specifically when I became a Barack guy. It was February of last year and I was driving back from the Tenacious D concert in Seattle. Rolling Stone had a big profile on him and I read every word thinking, “you know what? this really makes a lot of sense… I’m down with BO.”

Plus, any guy that hangs with Luda gets an A+ in my book.

Generic First Post

Yup… I have a blog now.  I feel like I have things to say/share/write… and what better way than a blog?! Right?  Right. My mom will be so proud.

Someday.