2005-04-29

Pop Music

I was thinking about blogging vignettes about different personalities at my church. I had a pretty detailed outline in my head about some of the easy ones. But i realized that i have often offended someone's feelings, or revealed more than i was supposed to, when i've written about people in my life. Besides, once i get past the obvious, larger-than-life personalities, i would have run out of steam anyway.

Has anyone else spent some time browsing through iTunes Essentials? It's a new marketing feature on iTunes, and like the soup at Pitzer, i suspect it's laced with crack. Even writing this, my itchy purchasing digits are twitching with anticipation of finding some previously-faded audio treasure. With three levels of depth, and such wondrous categories as '90s One-Hit Wonders and Jazz Vocals and West Coast Hip-Hop and East Coast Hip-Hop, i am relentlessly manipulated by the marketing machine. They even presume to rank the individual songs...!

Sadly, there is no ranking (though there is tiering) of the Christian Rock/Pop category. The iTunes monkeys simply alphabetized the individual tunes. I am profoundly disappointed at this. I really want to know who is more significant, Jars of Clay or DC Talk? Phil Keaggy or Casting Crowns?

It's like a post-modern Ultimate Internet Deathmatch, and i demand my cultural decree from the ivory tower of e-commerce retail!

2005-04-25

Reunions

(below Safeway article fixed for Mr. G4Cube)

So, Mr. G4Cube came to visit yesterday, as did Mr. Mechanic and Mrs. Hawaii. I leaned over to Wesley and remarked, "We should chase our English pastor out of town more often." I miss all these people. I went to sit down in the library, to get away from the kids playing Magic and all the appetizing food smells (I foolishly waited, and it was all gone!). Next thing i know, Mr. G4Cube is chatting me up, and i'm watching him take a bone out of his little cubeling's mouth. I didn't even realize we were catching up until he said, "Move over here so i can talk to you without yelling across the table." Hahahaha. Being hungry leaves me in a stumbling, zombie-like state. Mmmm. Brains.

Anyway. The subtextual message of the sermon, besides Pastor Dan expecting God to totally take care of the church, was that great leaders leave the church. This may be my cue to exit, stage right. But i don't think i have anywhere to go.

Later that evening, I was hanging out with Mr. silentevo (for purely nerdy CS reasons, i assure you), and Mr. Hawaii hopped onto one of those fancy chat programs. We sent to Mr. Hawaii: "We have your wife. If you want her back, you'd better come to LA and get her."

Everyone who is anyone should be in town next weekend, except for Jolene. Is it bad to be more excited about whom i get to see than the actual main event?

2005-04-19

Is Safeway Sucking Your Soul?

The way this guy writes about Safeway reminds me why i moved back to LA. The rest of his stuff is equally venomous and outraged. I realize i used to be angry like him, because of people like him. I am glad i am not anymore. But i feel sorry for him. I hope he is happy.

Or a raging satirist.

2005-04-15

Online Calendaring

Quick plug: Planzo.com is the web-based Palm Pilot i always wanted, and never had. The community tools need some work, but it's really, really good already.

I give them 6-8 months before they get bought by one side or the other in the big Google-Yahoo showdown.

2005-04-13

The Flaming Fire Illustrated Bible

One of my recent memory verses, brought to thought-provoking life: Isaiah 53:6 illustrated

They're not all this good. Nor are all of them theologically sound. That doesn't make them bad. Or good. Just thought-provoking.

2005-04-12

scrappykid's Xanga Site

For all the wonderful benefits of linwong's new status as Hero to Us All, we no longer have conversations like this.

China Missions Trip

For those of you that aren't interested in church and my church-ish activities, apologies.

--

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings! Praise God for opening a short-term mission trip opportunity. As you may know, a team of San Gabriel Valley Alliance Church members will be going to China this summer to share the love of Jesus Christ through teaching English. We will be teaching a two-week English program to Junior High and High School English teachers who live in southeastern China. It will run from approximately July 8th - 30th. We will be working with Christian and Missionary Alliance long-term workers in the area, as well as partnering with the Seattle Chinese Alliance Church and Los Angeles Chinese Alliance Church to bring a 12-person team.

Following the teaching time, Rachel and Kevin will stay an extra week to survey some ministry sites with Iris and to share with and update old students and relatives from previous years. God has given us the desire and opportunities to go and make disciples.

Our prayer is that our lives will be used to bring other people closer to Christ. This letter is to request for your prayer. We know that prayer is the key to the success of this trip. If the Lord leads you, please return the enclosed card and let us know that you will pray for the team while we are in China.

Some of you may want to support this trip financially as well. There is absolutely no obligation to do this! We are totally trusting God for the finances. The trip costs $[x] per person for our 4-person team. If God does lead you to support the team or an individual member financially, [snip].

As you join us on this journey of serving the Lord, we will update you and send you a follow-up letter when we return so that you can see what God has done through your support! We are excited to be able to partner together with you to accomplish God's plan in serving China.

Love,
Eric, Kevin, Rachel, and Tammy

2005-04-05

NBA player blog

The Suns' 12th man, Paul Shirley, has a blog. It is priceless.