I know you're not supposed to date drummers, but...

[PS dave matthews just said "i like that line, 'i'm gonna shoot you up again' -- it's somewhere between sex and being saved".]

{?}

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I CAME HERE TO POST ABOUT!!!

I came to tell you that GLOBAL DRUMS @ the U of L tonight was...beyond phenomenal. I actually know don't any english words to express just how it made me feel.

I don't know what it is about DRUMS and DANCE that makes us want to participate, want to rock-out, want to...freakin' GET UP OFFA THAT THING and DO SOMETHING...but it's powerful. POWERFUL.



And these kids tonight are incredibly talented. We had African Drumming, Caribbean-style drumming, STEEL BAND, a little taste of Japanese Drumming...with piano, kit, shakers, congas -- pretty much every percussive instrument known to..man? Well, a lot of them anyway.

And the pinnacle of the evening for me had to be...Kyle Harmon onstage alone, rockin' his drum kit...the curtains slowly opening to reveal 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6!!! 7 more drum kits! EIGHT DRUM KITS ONSTAGE SIMULTANEOUSLY! THEY were tiiight, they were slick, they were smooth -- pretty much the 8 most attractive people on earth.

And that, my friends, is why you don't date drummers, because...your judgement flies away when you hear them play.



Also, check out dave matthews band and their new album stand-up -- they worked with a rap producer, who plays EVERYTHING, so the album is a treasure chest of shiny beautiful jewels.
I'm pretty sure I'll work with him next time I record.

HA!

welcome to Confessions.

What do you think of when you sit down to a evening of performance by a Bible school choir?

I think of cheesy christian songs, an emphasis on being good and gracious, grateful and happy, joyful and overflowing - in general, an evening full of the cleanliness of Christendom. Woo...



Do you think of confession? Would you expect to hear and see, feel and experience moments of embarrassment, shame, joy, hope and amazement? Would you expect to be brought to tears by a confession of anger, shame, or addiction?

No.

Tonight I was surprised out of my pew by a group of kids from Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute, who brought all these things to the stage and so much more. It was incredible to see my hopes an dreams for community being drawn out in front of me.

It's moments like these that the cynicism fades to, I must confess, little more than insecurity, fear and loneliness.



Here's a quotation from the program:

"Everything in spiritual community is reversed from the world's order. It is our weakness, not our competence, that moves others; our sorrows, not our blessings, that break down the barriers of fear and shame that keep us apart; our admitted failures, not our paraded successes, that bind us together in hope.

[But it can be terrifying to be this vulnerable.] It seems weak, so unnecessary, so morbid and self-criticizing. But we are all wounded and we've all been failed. We protect our wounds with all the fierceness of a lioness watching over her cubs. And because it is nearly impossible to see who we are as separate from those wounds, we think we are protecting our selves when in fact we are preserving our wounds.



A spiritual community, a church, is full of broken people who turn their chairs toward each other because they know they cannot make it alone. These broken people journey together with their wounds and worries and washouts visible, but are able to see beyond the brokenness to something alive and good, something whole."

-- Larry Crabb, The Safest Place on Earth

Church of England...by Eddie Izzard.

THIS ONE...is quite funny. I think it could be shown in my sociology class *hint, hint, Erin...*

He's talking about Church of England IN England, not in North America, so don't ya'll get too offended.



Enjoy!

introducing...eddie izzard.

Christmas & Easter...eddie izzard style.

saphire and faded jeans.

corinne bailey rae is my new favourite artist. just so you know.

i've been thinking about spending a lot of money this summer, and i'm not sure if i can afford it, but i'm also not sure if i want to give up those plans.

here it is.

- mark camp, last week of june (it's an ivcf mini-conference. no idea of the cost).
- new york city, first week of july (rent-free, the city of a million dreams...)
- woodsong music festival, orcas island, july 19-22. i might even get to play and sing.
- August 5, mike & stephanie's wedding reception in Airdrie, AB (this in place of flying to the wedding in new mexico).
- August 18, Evie & Kevin's wedding in Okotoks, AB (this isn't optional).
- buy a car (this would be so fantastic for my grad year in lethbridge -- oh, taste the freedom...the "downside" is that i'd have to maintain an almost full-time job while in school...but i only have to take 7 classes next year).

i'm fully willing to take on 2 jobs this summer, no problem with that. i probably won't go back to stanley park's fantastic kitchen, because that much time off is completely impractical.



that's my story -- thanks for reading, ya'll.

this was too good not to re-post.

hey ya'll.

Since transferring to the U of L, my course load has been IMPOSSIBLY light (I hesitate to post this here, for fear that someone will find out, and assign me 26 more classes before I graduate). BUT, before I even entertained the thought of transferring to this academic heaven-land, I was @ Capliano College, buried by assignments and readings...

link here to read the poem of my well-burdened and studious self:
I used to live in the library nook.

extravagant.

extravagant.

It's such an incredible word -- the sound of it speaks of the riches it seeks to describe.

This has been an interesting few days. On thursday, I had coffee with Troy, and he spoke some words that really shot through the fog I've been feeling lost in.

(picture that? good).

Honestly though, it was pretty incredible, to begin to see with such clarity over the span of an hour, spent sipping chai in starbucks.



There may be more on the details of the revelation later...for now, I will say that I'm ready to move from panic/survival mode, into really living.

I don't feel like staying online long enough (today) to really write about what that is, but since most of you readers know me, I'm sure you'll begin to see it unfolding.

:)

according to wikipedia...

this should tell you all about me!



thank you, wikipedia.

:)

refreshing.

the wind has been blowing with great strength for about 13 consecutive hours now.

it's refreshing.

the image of the wind rushing in to blow away the last dredges of winter chill and tiredness...

this morning MA, Mel & I led worship @ Lethbridge Christian School's 9am chapel! woohoo, singing @ 9am...

it was really cool to be there with those kids, and hear them singing...I realize how cynical I've become, and in that, starved for meaningful fellowship, for any kind of deep, fulfilling spiritual connection. it's a deadly loop, cynicism, and I suppose I'll have to get out of it. :)



we went for a long walk in the coulees (or, more accurately, along the river bottom), and it was SO beautiful -- I really do love spring. the metaphors of renewal and regrowth seem cliche until you're walking in them, soaked in sunshine, refreshed by the breezes...

it's a beautiful thing.

it's been a weird day, yo.

I totally slept through church this morning. My alarm went off in time to catch the 9.20 bus, then again in time to catch the 10.00 bus...but I just wasn't into it.

Is that weird?

At home, I ususally feel guilty (or convicted) when I think about sleeping through church -- maybe it's because my whole family is there...

Anyway, I was pretty ok with it today. Except that I think I was supposed to go over tomorrow's worship songs with MA and Mel -- *sighs*.

The heretic within me grows...

I've had a couple mini-'lectures' this week from people who think I should be at certain prayer or worship gatherings more often. It kind of bugs me because these particular people haven't taken a whole lot of time to try and know who I am, in matters of faith or otherwise, so their rebukes or lectures or assumptions and expectations are sort of empty -- no ground to stand on.



In addition to that, I'm reading this book for sociology of religion called: Acts of Faith: explaining the human side of religion.

Now, the cool thing about this book is that the authors recognize that God (or god) could very well exist, while previous sociologists of religion went from the assumption that God (of god) does not exist, so all religious people are irrational.
The hard thing about it is reading the scientific observations made of religious groups...it has me questioning the necessity or purpose of the formality of the Church organization...that part of the whole christian culture is very human.

I've got a paper due tuesday, 8-10 pages, about chapter 6 of the book: Religious Group Dynamics.
It's supposed to be a research paper, but I haven't read any of the author's sources yet...so the rest of today will be spent at the library.

Like I said, it's been a weird day, yo.

Part 5, Feb.21, 2007. The Conclusion!

On Wednesday, Feb.21, I had my final lesson with Cornelius, and then took a cab (grumpy driver and broken credit card machine included) to LaGuardia airport.

The lesson was fantastic, almost magical (that's a shout-out to Jayda, because she says "magical" a lot). Cornelius got me to a beautiful high 'A', and it was really good to be able to sing with him again, while feeling a little more relaxed.

(The unfortunate part of the lesson was this: Tony's recording device was set up wrong, so we weren't able to get the lesson on mini-disc. It would have been cool to be able to listen to that lesson again, but it was also cool to just appreciate an experience in the moment, not disregarding any of it, thinking I could listen to it later).

When it came to getting to LaGuardia, I had a plan that involved the C train, and the M60, but I decided to take a cab instead. Thaaat was good times. The cabbie was sort of grumpy, and I ended up being so early for my flight, that I got bored and took a lot of pictures -- for you happy blogreaders to enjoy.








One last note/travel tip: I didn't have any cash to pay for the ride (because I thought I could pay with VISA), and the cabbie was NOT happy with me. Always carry enough cash to pay for a cabin New York.

Ok, here's the pics. Enjoy!







Now, some night shots:






(and this brings my NY trip blog post series to a close).

...THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO...

is basically ALL about the flower maidens.



seriously.

we move the plot ALONG...without us, who would singing songs of mockery to the count?