Quote a Three Year Old - Amazing Stuff!

Our little AJ has some amazing quotes: today she told me I should maybe close my laptop so it doesn't get dried up. "Don't get it all dried out daddy - because then you can't press things." I asked her why i wouldn't be able to press things & her response was, "Because God made it, painted it, cleans stuff for us too, and makes stuff for us, and papers for us to draw on, boots, Dora,..." I'm not sure how the two are connected.

Carpe Diem - Harvest the Fruit - Seize the Day

iPod Game

Okay so here's the classic inspired by a former classmate - pull out your iPod & advance your shuffled playlist for each question.

1. What does next year have in store for you? Closer to You - The Wallflowers. This definitely is a song about intimacy & introspection. Sounds good to me!

2. What do you say when life gets hard? Race against Time - U2. This track has an amazing bassline that just drives & builds. This song is almost unknown instrumental with one real line "race against time" - I can hear me listening to this song while road-biking; good pace! As a side note - the song was originally released as a B-side for Where the Streets Have No Name.

3. What does your love life look like next year? Into Your Hideout - Pilot Speed - cool indy band I saw & heard open up for MuteMath in the fall. The song is about tearing walls down which I'll equate to continue to getting to know my lovely wife better and better.

4. Song that reminds you of good times? Out of Time - Jason Collett - another indie artist who I heard through Paste Magazine which sends me good music monthly along with an alright rag. This song fits in the rock-americana vein - a modern day Springsteen (definitely some Dylan influence) - good bass line here too. Reminds me that the good times are fleeting.

5. What do you think when you get up in the morning? Watch What You're Doing - Larry Norman - I loaded up some classic rock from the 70s after Norman passed away this past month. Classic blues rock song and great reminder to think before acting - especially as a teacher. If you know the song - amazing humour & great guitar tone.

6. What song will you dance to at your wedding? From West Texas - Explosions in the Sky - amazing song that drips with emotion, reflection, but I'm not sure it would be the best song to dance to - definitely would be a slow dance.

7. Song that reminds you of your first kiss? No One Like You - David Crowder Band - ha! I love it - it's actually a worship-type song that praises Yahweh with how Beautiful He is! I would say our first kiss was a God-inspired moment so it fits. I find a lot of love songs reflect well my relationship with the Creator. "There's never been anyone like you!"

8. Your favorite saying? We Are the Sound - The Afters. Hmm, it's a great song - I suppose it's somewhat about speaking up & about not giving up. It's not my favorite saying but I'm all for speaking up and not giving up.

9. Favorite place? Natural Beauty - Neil Young. Talk about eclectic and an amazing acoustic song by the legend from Winnipeg. This is a sad song and I have to admit being in that place is normally not where I'd like to be but I do know I learn from such circumstances. It seems my songs are all about seizing the moment - carpe diem.

10. Most Missed Memory? Norwegian Wood - The Beatles. Wow, trippy & reflective - gotta love the fab four. Admittedly this one takes me back to high school & the flirting in the hallways. Talking to girls, holding hands, etc.

11. What song describes your best friend? Jump - Van Halen. What? How'd that get in the mix...let's put our hands together for the Winnipeg Jets! Memories of a high school dance that wasn't was but was, seeing VH in the Winnipeg Arena twice...how does this describe my best friend? Well I have a few...I won't mention their names but it does capture the thrill of adventure we've experienced in life!

12. What song describes your ex? Good Intentions - Toad the Wet Sprocket. I think we both wanted things to work out but mistakes were made and the relationship died. Song is fitting - linked to era. I actually don't have too many regrets though years later as it all led to future decisions that has forever changed me. Oh and I skipped a couple tracks to get to this one...somehow the Hounds of Winter by Sting or God's Gonna Cut You Down by Cash didn't seem appropriate.

13. Where would you go on a first date? Ride - Cary Brothers. Great song that is all about escape - riding in a convertible with the top down is the picture I get or riding horses on some wooded trail.

14. Drug of choice? Hurt - Johnny Cash. Wow what a song. In my top 5 for sure - which is why it shows up on my iPod. This is a song about trying to escape but seeing the reality of hurt. My drug of choice has always been escape - usually on two-wheels or for a paddle - there is nothing like the high of surfing a wave or weaving through perfect single-track.

15. What song describes you? A Dream Like Mine - Bruce Cockburn. Hmm, again a bit of a Carpe Diem feel - imagining what could be. Love St. Bruce - seen three or four times and his lyrics ooze with depth & symbol. Great drums & bass - I love the subtleness of the surf guitar in this song.

16. What is the thing you like doing most? Synchronicity - The Police. Okay I saw these guys live back in November in Atlanta - they nailed this song! I love connecting things together when I teach - abstract things that somehow fit. I love connecting people together - & reconnecting people who have struggled in conflict. The thing i love most is teaching and so in a sense this song affirms that. Cool - I'll never look at this song the same.

17. The song that best describes the prime minister? Doomsday Clock - Smashing Pumpkins. Umm, okay that's a little freaky & no I didn't cheat on this one but I will say...I really haven't ever liked any politician anywhere. I don't think our prime minister is as scary as some country's leaders but can the power of leading any country be healthy? I definitely don't envy the responsibility that comes with such power.

18. Where will you be in 10 years? Typical - Mute Math. Ha! Okay I'm motivated by being unique and so my pet peeve is the typical. I love the music in this song and these guys put on an amazing live show!

"Come on, can’t I dream for one day
There’s nothing that can’t be done
But how long should it take somebody
Before they can be someone"

19. Your love life right now? Drunk With The Thought of You - Sheryl Crow. Okay, I'm laughing again. I love my wife and no she's not leading me to getting drunk - but I love the song's attempt at capturing being giddy with the thought of someone special - I think it is very Song of Solomon'ish. Love makes one do crazy things! Although I don't think this isn't a simple song about love & alcohol - it seems to be a song of unspoken love. I think in the busyness of being a dad, husband, & teacher - there are things unspoken & definitely times for escape! The song I wish I hit was Derek Webb's I Wanna Marry You All Over Again - great tune!!!

20. What is your state of mind like at the moment? The Book I Write - Spoon. I absolutely fell in love with this song when I heard it in the Stranger Than Fiction movie. This is the book I write - great line and absolutely apt.

21. How will you die? Bottom Line - the 77s. Okay hilariously there is a line, "I fall down every mountain I try to climb" that sounds pretty ominous. The bottom line is about "I'm going to live forever", about "I've got someone to love me forever" - interestingly these two lines are echos not captured in the liner notes. The bottom line for me is that I want to live my life to the fullest!

Spring's Thaw & Anticipating New Music

So here I sit marking & grading once again. I'm feeling pretty good about where I'm at in the academic year but more assignments to come. I know that grad will be here soon and I'll be sending off yet another crop of graduates - I am finding it tougher every year. I imagine it is similar to what it feels like for parents releasing their 18 year olds to college.

Well March is thawing away the snow & ice that has accumulated since winter's first kiss back in November. The sun is slowly warming the earth and revealing new growth. I'm longing for some new music and thankfully some has made its ways to my ears through I-tunes. I'm loving the new Daniel Lanois album soundtrack to Here Is What Is and hope to purchase the movie it accompanies today sometime. It definitely is growing on me similar to what Shine did.
Sheryl Crow's album Detour is good & upbeat but not mind-blowing. Good music to play in the background I suppose and some songs are stirring lyrically. Reminds me most of her first album - somewhat trippy & happy but plays with some darker & political themes as well. A bit over-produced though, she needs to get in the studio with Lanois or Burnett or Rick Rubin methinks.
It definitely does not have the depth musically of Norah Jones' Live in 2007 EP - not that it is surprising because Norah knows how to hit the soul of the ear. The new Jack Johnson Sleep Through The Static is in the same category as Sheryl Crow - good but everything feels revisited - I've heard this before sort of. I really think this is the worst album cover I've seen in a very long time. I bought the first JJ basically because I listened to two tracks and liked the cover. It isn't that it is a bad album and admittedly he pulls out an electric for some songs which is refreshing but I'm still hoping for a more defining album.

I'm looking for something original this Spring and I'm hoping the new Death Cab For Cutie due in May will be that. Their new single "I Will Possess Your Heart" definitely is interesting and is a good wake-up from the winter song. Great intro bassline that grooves & provides an amazing foundation for the song. An 8:36 single = crazy eh?
The Afters new album Never Going Back to Ok is good driving music - lots of depth musically and to a point lyrically. I'm loving Wintersleep - great "drive" in their music - particularly in "Oblivion" - reminds me somehow of The Hip. So what am I waiting for this spring? Well the new Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie, and we'll see if the Counting Crows can bring a new sound to my ears. Here is to hoping? Oh and the U2-3D Imax film - definitely worth the ticket price - great sound & amazing videography. Not cheesy 3D but a little freaky at times - Bono kind of steps into your personal space at times. Great songs but at an hour and half - left me wanting more. I'm not sure though visually if I could have gone 2 hours in 3D. So surreal! I also am hoping U2 will finish up their new album for fall - fingers crossed.

Some Quotes Concerning Adventure:

"Remember what Bilbo used to say: It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." - J. R. R. Tolkien

"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves." - Andre Gide

"People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering." - St. Augustine

Time

Amazing how fast time flies when you are doing the things you love to do and how slowly the clock ticks when you find something monotonous or upsetting. My sixth year of college teaching is winding up and I'm in awe how fast things have gone. Wendy and I have three children who we dearly love and treasure - and they too are growing up so fast. Zachary is nearing that moment of walking - our baby will become a toddler. Chelsea & Aimee are both enjoying their transitions into kindergarten & preschool.

My birthday is today - March 9th. You blink and ten years whirs by eh? But I have very few regrets as I've lived a full life and want to continue to live in such a way. My heart for teaching continues to grow and I'm really struggling with seeing another group of students graduate. It is a bit like the "empty nest" syndrome that I experience every May. I hope my trip to Thailand with our church will off-set that a bit as I dive into another opportunity to challenge young adults - this time in a completely foreign culture.

Time has certainly past when I first met Wendy in our days at college & more meaningfully at camp. It twas' the God's Creation that put our two paths together, the stars, the dancing lights of Aurora Borealis, the reflection of it all in glassy waters. From the nervousness of new relationship to the warm comfort of being together for so long - it truly has been a miracle & so worth celebrating.

We've shared so many adventures together from traveling to the Caribbean, to Africa, to Costa Rica, and perhaps beyond in the future. From our time spent at Medeba exploring adventure sports & our leadership skills to building a home here in Manitoba - all of it has been stretching and rewarding. I'm in the midst of dreaming about sabbatical - a few years away and wondering where we'll be in the future. I know that I'll blink and our kids will be high school & exploring their own futures beyond our home. I hope I can still say "what a ride, what a ride!" and thank God for every minute I've had.

The Legend Brett Favre

It's tough to see a hero retire but my admiration for Brett Favre continues on. I love football - it is one of toughest sports out there and from my perspective not only the most physical but one that requires the most mental effort. Every player has a role to play and critical for any forward progress to occur. The quarterbacks, receivers & running backs get the majority of the accolades but each player on the team is necessary. I love that. I would encourage y'all to check out his retirement video as it truly reflects this man's love of the game.

Favre completes his 17-year career as the NFL's all-time leader in every significant career passing category - touchdowns (442), completions (5,377), attempts (8,758) and yards (61,555), plus wins (160). His 253 consecutive starts (275 including playoffs) is the NFL record for quarterbacks and the second-longest recorded streak in league history.The league's only three-time MVP, Favre led the Packers to 11 playoff appearances, including seven division crowns, four NFC Championship Games, two Super Bowls and a World Championship with a victory in Super Bowl XXXI.

Clearly, Favre was not only a three time MVP but also an "everyman" - a person that anyone could relate to. He was a legend but so down-to-earth & clearly fallible. He's a hero that I will expose my son to as a man to emulate - someone who although went through struggles, fought & won.
Favre ended his career with class & character. Will I wonder - what if he stuck around another year? You betcha! But I admire him going out on top.

I consider myself blessed to have actually seen Brett Favre & the Packers play on Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Football will not be the same without him and it will be interesting to see where the Pack ends up next season but I've been a fan of the Pack for close to twenty years - 16 of them Favre has been the QB - and I will remain a Pack fan.

Wendy & I in Green Bay, WI watching the team & game I love!

Ukuleles

An amazing song by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - got to love how a basic song structure can be used again and again. Did I ever share the story of taking ukulele lessons in Hawaii? I didn't go far in that scene but the ukulele is one of the many stringed instruments I've played.