Archive for March, 2009

Cause Edge Is On A Completely Different Timing As Usual

March 30th, 2009

Mycenae

Music touches my soul.  I love how lyrics, or melodies will shed light on life for me.  A simple song can resonate with my heart and make me feel in union with emotions.  You may have noticed throughout these snides lyrical references.  It is plain to see, that music accompanies my life.  If you haven’t read it yet, you should read the guest snide by Andrew.  He quotes Hans Christian Anderson who says “Where words fail, music speaks.”  I have not been much of a talker in my life.  My introversion doesn’t mean I am much of a thinker either, so don’t be too confused.  I am a feeler.  The trouble comes in trying to express those emotions.  Music potentially then, is something I find release in.  A heavy lyric opens a well of emotion inside me.  As Andrew writes, music is “something your soul needs to hear at that moment… something that resonates with the tonality and rhythm of the song.”

Chris Brahmer walking amongst the columns

Chris Brahmer walking amongst the columns

Anyway, all this is brought up cause I was looking through art journals and personal journals from my trip to Europe in May of 1997.  On one particular day in my art journal, we were travelling through the biblical city of Corinth, as well as some old Macedonian cities.  We were looking at architecture and tombs that dated back to 1250 B.C.  Up to this point I had been having a fascinating, eye opening trip.  I was learning from the time, from the art, and from the crazy collection of people I was travelling with.  Despite the constant community, my emotions were feeling mostly isolated at the time.  I felt, not really at a crossroads, but I could feel the winds of change (yes, 2 cliches, on purpose!) approaching off the Greek waters.  I was about to enter my senior year of college.  “The greatest time of life” was soon to end.  What was my legacy?  What had I accomplished?  What did I want to suck out of the remaining year?  What would be my final memories of friends and places?  And I held with me a fear of the future.  I had never planned past college.  All of my dreams post college were of wives and kids (OK, one of those was in a singular sense).  I was soon to be venturing into the deep unknown.  What did I want to do in life?  What sort of job did I want to find?  I had no direction.  All I had known in life was one grade to the next, one school year the next.  I don’t plan ahead very well.

Dori, Karen, Courtney, Karen, and Autumn under the Lions Gate

Dori, Holly, Courtney, Karen, and Autumn under the Lions Gate

As I was walking through the lions gate, and viewing the beehive tombs, I wrote at the top of this particular art journal entry, a poignant lyric that was resonating with me that day.

I am standing at the entrance
To a new world I can see
The ruins to the right of me
Will soon have lost sight of me
Love rescue me

-U2
Love Rescue Me
Listen Now

This is a beautiful song.  Even the “sha la la la” touches my tear ducts, as cheesy as that sounds.

I wonder if I am the same person as the person that was writing these things back then.  Life is full of lessons and experiences.  I have learned that I am spoken to, and speak out of lyric and song.  In the journey, I must seek occurrences in my every day life that challenge my reflections.  Finding the little lessons is sometimes the joy of life.  Whether I am the same person mentally and emotionally as I was back then, is tough to know.  Maybe a lot of that me remains.  Maybe a lot of that me has washed away.

On that same days art journal I wrote, “Also, while on this bus tour, it wasn’t a scheduled stop, but I saw something I felt was remarkable and worth noting.  [There] was a pier from 200 B.C built at the Port of Corinth or also known as Sinclair.  This port led to big steps in exploring and travelling to Asia Minor.  All that remains is a few stones.  I found it beautiful.”

 My life is like that pier.  Sometimes my life is full of travel and exploration.  Sometimes my life is a vital part of existence.  And other times, I may feel incomplete.  Life, in some seasons, may be down to just a few stones.  But I find it beautiful.



Ok, this is not the same U2 song as the one I quoted.  I used the term “heavy lyrics” which is a term I always think of because of this clip below.  In it B.B King says to Bono, “Those are some heavy lyrics, young man. You mighty young to be writin’ lyrics that heavy.”

Two other tidbits on this video clip. 
– I love when they are backstage and Bono starts talking about “not the first verse, first chorus, not the second verse…” and then Larry is being a drill sargent about the song.  And then he says the title to this snide:  “Cause Edge Is On A Completely Different Timing As Usual”

– B.B says “I’m no good with chords…I’m horrrrible with chords.”

– “A lot of emotion right there, that’s alright young man, that’s alright”

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH81Klu1FAw

Tagging

March 30th, 2009

Let the record state…

…I disagree with tagging Twitter when you are linking to a friends specific tweet.

Blame

March 30th, 2009

I am introducing a new category today.  Sometime in talking with people, whether it be over work ideas or social aspects of life, I will lend my support but voice my opinion.  I will say “let the record state…”  I decided to actually start keeping a record.

Let the record state…

…it is not my fault, dont blame me.

Spring Is Around The Corner

March 29th, 2009

I love spring time in San Diego.

Most spring breaks during college I would go on a mission trip down to Ensenada, Mexico.  One year I went as part of a team teaching vacation bible school in a little town.  Another year I went on a basketball team and we played against military, city, and prison teams.  Each year instead of spending the night in a high school gym on this side of the border the night before, my team would crash at my parents house on Camino del Valle

caminodelvalle

My parents had this 50 yard daisy bed along the street.  When my team would stay there before our trip to Mexico, it would not be in bloom.  But when I would return a week later, it would be full of big bright purple and white daisies.  There would be a dramatic change all in a week time.  That was when I knew that Spring had arrived, and I would get a skip in my step.

My parents no longer live at that house, and the new owner removed that flower bed.  But its memory will always exist in my mind and will bring me great joy.  I still love spring, and now the consistency of the daisy bed, has been replaced by the love of the orange California poppies that perk up this time of year, this month of year, this week of year.

Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

March 26th, 2009

I have had great recovery with my knee in the ability to walk around the office, the house with minimal pain.  I have basically been walking on it since the day of the surgery

After doing non-impact rehab, I have been on a program to get me back on the courts of tennis and basketball, and back on the fields of soccer.  The program has supposed to occur and a couple week intervals.  Beginning with light jogging (50 yards at a time),  I was supposed to build up to a longer distance with less walking.  This was to last a couple weeks.  Then I was to progress to sprinting.  A few weeks later I was supposed to progress to doing cutting and figure eight type drills. 

Have you noticed all the use of the phrase “supposed to?”

I think its been a couple months now that I have been doing the light jogging.  I have seen very little improvement.  I have not progressed to more then a few light 50 yard jogs.  This week I have experienced some more swelling behind my knee, and even experienced some sharp pain in my knee during a roaring ping pong game today.  This has been frustrating.  I have had a lot less motivation to go to the gym to rehab, and it has been aggravating that a couple week process has been taking months, with no line on the horizon.

I have continually been icing though, so hopefully that will help the swelling.  And I need to stay focused on my rehab exercises, and keep pushing through the demotivating aspects.  The doubt side of me wonders if they missed some loose cartilage that might be floating through my knee.  I just gotta press on.  “It isn’t nice, but it’s reality.”

Don’t Panic

March 25th, 2009

We live in a beautiful world
Yeah we do, yeah we do

-Coldplay

Sunny Days

March 25th, 2009

Today's WeatherThere is nothing like a 45-minute walk, in 80.2 degree temperature with a blue sunny sky to make one feel happy to be alive. I love San Diego, and I love the beauty that God created.

ASAP Buddy

March 21st, 2009

Joey recently put these on his site, but these are classic video’s making fun of technical support lines.  Since this is where I came from I wanted to put them here too.

Part I

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twYtcz1eL-Q

Part II

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTqPJfA6wCM

Other

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7U3XG6B4v4

Yet Inwardly We Are Being Renewed

March 13th, 2009

Josh Weir is a friend that I can rely on to surprise me, to encourage me, to care for me, and to be real with me.  I am eternally blessed by my friendship with Josh.  He makes me laugh, he makes me ponder.  He challenges me to look at things from a different angle.  I met Josh back in college and since then we have shared many different life experiences, ups and downs.  Josh will drop everything to come to a concert, vegas, a padres game with me.  He is supportive and enlightening.  I count Josh as close, dear friend, a man after my own heart.  I am grateful for his presence in my life.

This Too Shall Pass…
by Josh Weir

“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things are passing. God alone remains.”
– Therese of Lisieux

With so many things in flux in our world today, we are longing for something to find consistency in. We are looking for someone to believe in and restore hope in our lives. Oh, to find preservation. Oh, to find peace. Preservation of the heart which keeps our focus on that which truly sustains; a basis of reliance in the continuing experiences of life. Peace like a river washing over the rocks, around the trees and through the jungle. There are so many things which cloud our mind and distract us from peace. From a minuscule detail of a coffee stain on my tie, to the obsessive attention on the measurement of my waistline. From the refusal to let go and forgive a wrong action, to sensational pleasure seeking which isolates us and can compromise our integrity. We find a myriad of distractions from the peace of knowing the temporal in light of the eternal. In the eternal, our peace is secure. In the eternal, we are in the river of God’s grace as it carries us forward.

In the river of grace, our attention is drawn to the rocks and trees, the current, the rapids and whirlpools, and maybe even to a few snakes or alligators. Whatever we experience doesn’t change our existence in the river of grace which is taking us to God. Peace in the river is in knowing that he has created a place that the river is taking us to; a home and a reward at the end of the faithful journey. We may be in a dinghy or a yacht, or maybe we are hanging on to a piece of driftwood; the river is still taking us home. Knowing that the river is a manifestation of his grace (and that grace will carry us through) and knowing the peace of its perpetual flowing is the sustenance we have been given to continue, gives us hope for our preservation in our experience. As Paul encourages, “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart.

Though outwardly we are wasting away,
yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” We have his grace to rely on as we focus on Him and his provision through the moment of distraction. In the experience of difficult times and trials, we can be encouraged by his promises and the hope we have in Him for a future.

As the distractions and complications pass in and out of our days, let us be encouraged by Him who knows ultimate temptation. The one who healed and preached, who was praised with palm branches and scorned with a crown of thorns at the bloody hour. The one who was raised to the seat of power, that every knee should bow, and every tongue confess his Lordship. He is the primary example that God rules and overrules in the lives of men and women. In love and mercy, judgment and righteousness – God rules in the lives of mankind. With injustice and corruption, with benevolence and reconciliation – God overrules in the lives of all humanity. Let nothing bring you fear. Are you happy? It will pass. Are you downtrodden? It will pass. Are you confused, ashamed, excited, or failing? It shall pass. Are you melancholy, calm, famished, accomplished, broken, or needy? It shall pass. Are you terrified, worried, restless, plentiful, conceited, or self-conscious? It shall pass. Are you wildly successful? This too shall pass. Are you struggling to make ends meet? Yes – all things are passing, but God alone remains. Remember that he has placed you in the river, that his grace may bring you to Him. Recall his promise to those whom he calls his own, “and if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever, and my eyes and my heart will be there perpetually.” He is consistent in fulfilling his promises. We can rest in that preservation and peace. The essence of his peace is that he is bringing us through all circumstances; we can only experience his carrying us through. He is ruling. He is overruling. He is keeping your head above water or allowing you to walk upon it. Cast your cares upon Him, for he cares for you. Praise Him in the moment of triumph. Speak aloud to the Father in your worry and doubt. Confess your distractions and concerns for the up and coming. Recognize his grace and power, and feel the peace flowing through your days in his eternal triumph over temporal experience. He alone remains. He is worthy of hope. He will preserve you. He will bring you peace.

Chief Mark Of Our Epoch

March 7th, 2009

It is customary to complain of the bustle and strenuousness of our epoch.  But in truth the chief mark of our epoch is profound laziness and fatigue; and the fact is that the real laziness is the cause of the apparent bustle.

-G.K Chesterton
    Orthodoxy

This Week I'm Thinking About: Jason Roth