Adam has got me hooked on a radio show lately called This American Life. For the most part, the stories are entertaining if not psychologically fascinating from an observational point of view. You might not always like what you here but the quality and variety of the show will make you listen and think. You can listen to them online for free here; below are some episodes to check out if you want to download [right-click, Save As...] and listen later.
290 - Godless America
American history in question and a Christian that finds her faith and then loses God.
77 - Pray
Christian lingo, sensationalists[?], and pray affecting an atheist.
188-Kid Logic
They really do say the darnedest things.
304-Heretics
FYI - There is no hell.
317-Unconditional Love
Could you love someone that tried to kill you?
286-Mind Games
What just happened?
328-What I Learned from Television
Good for both cultural observation and anti-stereotypes.
104-Music Lessons
David Sedaris and Anne Lamott.
Babel - I hear it's like Crash, which I've never seen, but on a global scale. Brad Pitt does a good job while not beating up or blowing up something. The Japanese scenes made me feel small in my worldview. As the native tongue was used, that's right, some subtitles are needed, I started to wonder how it would feel to be in a city of a million people and yet not be able to be understood or understand what others where saying. Beware of the crude flash scenes.
Ollabelle - James introduced me to this new band, which is a compilation of some individual artists. I would label it Neo-Gospel-Soul with a dash of Jazz and a hint of Funk. There first self titles album is pretty rockin', in a traditional newness kind of way, while the second release, Riverside Battle Songs, is a bit more melancholy.
If you haven't heard, Naomi and I started a MySpace band site which you can find us at www.myspace.com/undertheoak. We'll be playing a semi-show in May which makes me kind of nervous but should be fun. James will be helping us out with that. Also, a few friends and I have started a small, group blog in which we write a short essay once a month. Check it out at silhouette-words.blogspot.com.
The layers of gray are slowing strolling through the Seattle Sky this morning. I’m sitting on the 2nd floor of Peet’s Coffee and Tea in Fremont glancing out to see construction workers in their orange and yellow surgery scrubs giving a face-lift to a bridge. There is a shaggy dog tied up across the street at who gets up from his morning nap every now and then to peek around the patio chairs and catch a glimpse of any intruders or friends that might interrupt him. A group of casually dressed gentlepersons are next to me talking in the foreign language of legalese about lawsuits and contracts and cell phone companies. The older guy on the left is dominating the conversations… almost like a mentor who listens too little and yet always has something good to say. Before hand, another businessman, this time in a suit was doing some office work and making some phone calls. He apologized for his volume and out of place context and offered me an untouched piece of Zucchini bread that wasn’t going to be able to accompany him to his 10am meeting down the street. After an initial questioning, I thankfully accepted – it made my less than tasteful chai go down easier. Naomi is at a TESL conference at SPU for the day and I have lunch plans with an old co-worker, which includes a beer and a geo-cache.
Last evening Naomi, James, Jana, and myself had balcony seats to see Patty Griffin. She did a fantastic job with both the acoustic upbeat hand clapping songs and her soul connecting ballads of depression and incompleteness. The band played around her – it wasn’t an overextension of anything; no rock hard guitar solos or drum breakout sessions. Everything was used to give background and context and ambience to her and her song at that moment. The band enhanced the perfection of the song, even if the piano wanted to sabotage the scene with some of its off-key rebels. She was on of my must see before I die artist. And now I’m closer to death but with the anticipation of also being closer to life.
It is the last morning of winter. Spring is officially here at 5:07 this evening. May the things that died this cold season past stay dead if the Divine desires. But for the sake of hope and change and resurrection may new life come. Leave this winter cold behind and embrace the coming sun
American Dream
-j.boyer
I feel the morning come to wake me
We’re all scared to admit we feel out of place
We sold the trailer bought a five bedroom
Forgot to pack what matters in the suitcase
Mama always cries when no one’s watching
Daddy never tucks us in at night
Sister she’s been gone for six long years
She ran away once the American Dream came near
She ran away once the American dream was here
The sun and moon are out together
Another real dream falls asleep today
All the houses on our street block
Are just a copy of a copy, invitation to the masquerade
Mama smiles awful nice at the mail man
I cut myself on the arm just to feel
Work keeps dad late and far from near
He buys us toys to remind us he still lives here
He buys us toys to remind us he still sleeps here
All our yards are just big enough
Grab a shovel let’s go plot out our graves
All our souls are just small enough
To push away the only thing that saves
There’s an American dream in the driveway
A garbage truck ran it over just today
The neighbors they yell loud and I can taste theirs tears
Guess we’re not the only ones who live in fear
Good ole American dream, living in fear
Good ole American dream, lives in fear
