Here’s something random… I miss carpet. My home-home in Vancouver is hardwood and my place in Calgary is hardwood. And being that it’s summer and hot, i’m hardly wearing socks these days so the hardwood feels even harder. Caaaaarpet. I don’t know why i’m blogging about this, it’s really not worth blogging.

In other news, I am at this very moment watching Heidi Klum on Conan O’Brien and she just told the story of how Seal proposed to her via helicopter to the top of a mountain in Whistler, BC. Yaaaay, for my work’s conference in Whistler at the end of the month. It can’t come sooner, i’m ready for a break.

READING: C.S. LEWIS

I recently finished reading C.S. Lewis’ Surprised By Joy - an autobiography of his early years while eventually addressing his conversion from atheism to theism and from theism to Christianity. From cover to cover is the backdrop of schooling and academia… and I must say, smart people are fascinating. He’s clearly so well read and versed… if anyone could fit into my ultimate British professor stereotype, it’s definitely him. Personally speaking, besides the first few chapters and the last few chapters i found his writing quite dry for my liking even though it reads so naturally. And i think he recognizes this too… right off the bat he concedes that his account is “suffocatingly subjective.” But writing that, amongst some other great parenthetical thoughts and one-liners makes him a funny man too. The ultimate British professor, plus funny.

If you’re not up for the whole book, I strongly suggest at least reading the last two chapters where he finally talks about his conversion in more detail. I found it so interesting how he intensely wrestled with the concept of God… and yet, how the whole God thing kept encroaching on his life academically and intellectually, circumstantially and socially.

There are quite a few parts i’d love to quote but i’ll just finish off with two (both from the second to last chapter).

“For the first time I examined myself with a seriously practical purpose. And there I found what appalled me; a zoo of lusts, a bedlam of ambitions, a nursery of fears, a harem of fondled hatreds. My name was legion.”

“Whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England.”

WATCHING: DEDICATION

If you want to watch how Dysfunction falls in love, then this movie is for you. It takes some extreme and overt characters of dysfunction and somehow draws out from their case universal themes that we can identify with. There’s subtle (or, not so subtle) hilarity at times but it can move bit slow - kind of Garden State-esque. It’s not your typical romantic movie plot but still takes a stab at it from a bit of a different angle.  Minus the annoying opening scene and the already-done method of wooing Mandy with a telescope (a la A Walk to Remember), I liked it and will probably watch it again at some point.

Confession: I like Mandy Moore. I just do. Not that I think she’s an incredible actress or anything but i always find myself rooting for her character. Well then.

LISTENING: GREG LASWELL

From the first bar of Greg Laswell’s song, “How the Day Sounds” I was already hooked. Such a sucker for piano-driven melodies. And then a few seconds later, enter Greg’s voice.. so soothing. Low but not too low. And he does a great sultry cover of Cindy Lopper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” Not your typical cover song but it’s won me over. After the first listen-through of his MySpace, i bought two of his albums.

Free download of one of the songs off his new album, it’s a good one.

And how did i hear about Greg Laswell you ask? Well duh, through a Google search of Mandy Moore and the subsequent landing onto her Wiki page noting that Mandy and Greg had previously dated. And also, a pleasant surprise to find Greg Laswell has been part of The Hotel Cafe tour before.

Coldplay’s new album Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends released in North America today so I hopped over to Future Shop and grabbed myself a copy.

I LOVE IT.

I listened through it 5 times already and am still going. I haven’t previously been a “huge” Coldplay fan through and through but this album is winning me over, easily. The music is strong and very layered. Several tracks are heavy on the strings, which I love. History, spirituality, ambition, conquest, struggle, reminiscence, revolution… all elements found here. It’s beautiful, really, and pleasantly worldly - very thorough and rich in experience and thought

No I don’t want a battle from beginning to end
I don’t want a cycle of recycled revenge
I don’t want to follow death and all of his friends

We know life will never be void of the ups and downs that everyone experiences. But what will set apart the stagnant, defeated life from the one that is enabled to continually grow, even in the wrestling presence of that back and forth struggle?

(Define terms first) Many people liken the “ups” to mountain tops and the “downs” to valleys. I remember the sheer relief that i felt after i walked out of a season of my life that i would define as “valley.” I remember sitting through sermons, talks, listening to other peoples’ experiences, reading articles and discussing topical issues relating to pain, disappointment, struggles of life and just feeling so GLAD that those experiences and emotions were things i was able to leave behind at that particular time of my life. Seriously, all was good in the hood. Not in the naive, ignorant bliss sort of way. But life felt like smooth sailing relative to what was. Out of the valley, ready to taste the next mountain top. Yet, there came that slight tug and pull, knowing the familiarity of that doggone “up and down” pattern brought the anticipation that- eventually, i’d move off the mountain top just as quickly as i got up there. When would the onslaught of the next valley come? Actually, it didn’t come for a while. A nice, long stretch of an apex view. But, it’s bound to happen cos that’s how we grow. Can’t stay on mountain tops forever. Remember, nothing grows on mountain tops. Rich growth happens in valleys. And that’s not just a trite spiritual metaphor but a literal fact as well. Biological life is booming in the valleys of the earth.

All this is to say that i can feel it… it’s right there.. time to get stretched again. Valley, how we have a hate / love i-can-appreciate-you relationship. And i don’t mean to write this to say that life is in the ka-putz right now. In a sense, things are never better in that I’m stoked for what’s ahead, the vision of what I’m called to do fuels great excitement and purpose and urgency in me!  But there are some personal things and ministry/work seasons to currently work through (more of the former, less of the latter) that if i don’t, would be a big impediment to the full potential of what can be.  And, let’s be honest, if i had it my way i wouldn’t deal with it at all. But since someone’s got to finish what he first started in me, i guess i should address what he’s put on the table.

Geez, i haven’t been this honest in a while. (and yet, still so vague, Steph). Well, it’s a start.

My comfort would prefer for me to be numb
And avoid the impending birth of who I was born to become

I enjoyed Brooke’s sold out concert thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly. I wish it went longer. This show was especially great for 3 reasons. Numero uno: It’s Brooke Fraser, duh. Her music is uh-mazing. I’ve wanted to see her play live her non-Hillsong stuff for a while now. I listen to her albums, especially Albertine, non-stop. Deux: She likes to banter a lot between songs and in doing so, is absolutely hilarious! Three: I had the fun opportunity to do the merchandise table for her (and her opening act, William Fitzsimmons), which brought a few lovely perks that i’ll get to after Reason #4. And #Quattro: Well, there are more reasons than four, surely, but then i’d just blab on and on so i’ll stop here.

Thank you Jacqui for taking these two pics!

Back to the perks. Brooke’s hubby, Scott Ligertwood (yes, he works with Hillsong), was overseeing all the Merch so it was cool to sit throughout the show with Scotty and chat it up here and there (don’t you know? we’re old chums). What a down to earth guy- not to mention he’d say thanks for helping out every 15 minutes or so. Even though i didn’t have the best view of Brooke from the back, it was still fun to help with the shirts and CDs, etc. And after Billy Fitz finished his set he came back to the table in and out as well; it’s always nice to get to know an artist behind the music. Funny guy he is.

With Scotty, me old chum, at the Merch table

Before the show started, I got to come in early before the doors opened to the public to do some merchandise set up with Scott, which also meant i got to see a bit of Brooke rehearsing during sound check. When she finished and came off stage, Brooke and Scott had a smooch- it was cute, i’m not gonna lie.

Line-up before doors opened! The Media Club usually doesn’t get lineups - so saith the MC bartender.

Even though The Media Club is a smaller venue, it was packed with people. The saturation of bodies over to the Merch table especially after the show kept me a busy bee. But Brooke was signing CDs next to me so i strangely felt very “that’s right, I’m with Team Brooke” as people waited and waited for a little piece of her until the club literally booted them out. I stayed around afterwards to do some pack up with Scott and Co. and got to talk with some of the band.

I Am Team Brooke

And of course, meeting Brooke was absolutely [insert several positive adjectives here]! I hope she comes back soooooon. Scott said that he’s not joking when he says that Vancouver is in the Top 3 cities he and Brooke enjoy (other two being Stockholm and their home, Sydney). He also calls Brooke, Bubby, which is pretty endearing coming from a man boasting a 6′4 stature.

BBBBBrooke (maybe a few too many B’s)

Stage name still “Brooke Fraser” but a pic with the newlyweds, the noticeably tall couple, Mr. and Mrs. Ligertwood

And Willy FItz! Check out his moozac!

For the help, I also got to have an exclusive mixed CD of unreleased live tracks from her 2007 tour in New Zealand. I am listening to it as i type and am enjoying it mucho much. I heart LIVE- good performers can make you FEEL it through your speakers. And it’s so fresh to hear songs performed with different arrangements.

She signed my goodies. These were bought on eBay long before you could buy her records in N. America.

After i finished, Jacqui and Amy (thanks for waiting!) and I went to Martini’s to grab a late dinner and looked at each others’ pictures and paraphernalia from the night. Good thing Jacqui was much closer to Brooke to snag some good shots- pretty much impossible pour moi considering the less than superb view from my perch.

Set List

C.S. Lewis Song
Deciphering Me
Lifeline
Love, Where is Your Fire?
Hosea’s Wife
Faithful
Sound of Silence (Simon and Garfunkel cover)
Shadowfeet
Arithmetic
Albertine

PS, Brooke created the channel BrookeFraserTV on YouTube to chronicle her current tour (what she calls The Northern Hemisphere Tour according to her tour t-shirts). It is amusing, folks.

Guess where this is?

You know what’s a geeky and trivial pleasure for me? Wearing new socks. Yes sir! I do enjoy it a fair bit- so soft and white and a tad squishy (in the most comfortable sense).

And while I’m talking about socks.. I’d just like to say that in 2003 i bought a few pairs of white ankle socks on sale from The Gap and they’re by far the best socks I’ve ever owned. How’s that? Well, I’ve worn and laundered these socks pretty much every week (save for summers) for the last 5 years and STILL wear them weekly even to this day. No holes, not badly worn at all. How the heck does this happen? Who knows?!

Anyway, that’s all for today. Just wanted to say i’m enjoying some new socks and appreciate the old faithful pairs just the same.

Some more pics from LA…

With Batman and Robin at Six Flags

Visiting the UCLA campus

Royce Hall

People + Sam in front of a library

Setting up for the Festival of Books

Venice Beach

Dodger Stadium, we won!

My boys in blue

Saw Jennie Finch, she’s hot.

Of course, gotta have In ‘N Out!

Here’s some pics from L.A.

This is the house I grew up in. I’d like to have it back someday but I think this may only be a novel idea. See that basketball hoop? That belongs to my brother and I! Same one. The neighbor said that the kids play with it all the time which is pretty cool. The people who currently live in the house weren’t home but it would’ve been nice if I could have met them.

My street, Toland Ave.

I played baseball here as a kid.. lots of good memories. Sounds weird but it smelled exactly the same, so good. Smell = nostalgia for me.

Santa Monica Beach. The pier in particular.

Griffith Observatory. I love it.