My absolute favorite artist, Andrew Peterson (singer, songwriter, author), is releasing a new album "Counting Stars" July 27th. Apparently it's full of personal songs and daily life. I've become a sucker for this type of music especially from AP. He's my age with kids & I'm finding a strange familiarity and comfort from his work.
Purchased thru his website (rabbitroom.com) they have tiers varying from the CD at release date with a song downloaded now TO coffee with AP and the full album now. I took the min-plunge and bought 2 CD's which was bundled with a song & video download. It's tempting to get the full album now but I shall wait.
The song (The Same Song) has been played about 10 times now, the video only 2x. The video is for "Dancing in the Mine Field". It's a great song & video (top notch AP stuff) about marriage and lasting promises. If I dwell on it too much I'd get weepy which is why there's a limited playing.
"We went dancing in the mine field
we went sailing in the storm
and it was harder than we dreamed
but I believe that's what the promise is for."
A life changing milestone of mine (and I think for my marriage & becky) was us listening to a Tim Keller sermon "cultivating a healthy marriage". A key word in the title says much: cultivating. It's work, and it grows, and it takes time, and it does bear fruit. Not things we didn't know but it was more of a wake up call to get deeper into marriage and get a full deep breathe into it.
This song & video is superb. Very lyrically driven, but if you focus on the video imagery or the music you are pleasantly surprised. It has been a great reminder of taking the plunge of marriage. I like it (the song & the marriage).
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Tattle-tale
We've had some battles lately in getting Cabu, the 5 y/o boy, to bed. Suddenly there are monsters, bathroom trips & other troubles. Our 1st course of action was generally yelling: "You don't need to pee every 5 minutes, all the monsters are in your sister's room, GO TO SLEEP."
We seem to have solved the bathroom issue and are getting back to a new normal.
A few nights ago was more battlesome than usual because the routine was upset. Misbehavior had earned an early bed-time and no story for Cabu. Usually we (me and B-roo, & Cabu) read thru the "Jesus Storybook Bible" (wonderful book). Well 2hrs later I had enough and layed beside him & told him a story.
Figuring he was wise to most of the usuals I racked my brain for something to boil down. Meantime I started talking about a castle with a king & queen, a boy & a girl. Stalling really but ended up piecing together some junk story that softly made the soft point of "be honest" and he was out for the night. I've scrapped together a story a few nights now.
I'm loving this except my brain is failing me on a good story. I picked a character setup that he's relating to; a background he's loving (who doesn't like castley stuff). My stories have sucked. My audience hasn't caught on yet, but believe me - they do. I'm trying to weave in a good point, or some nice theology, maybe be parable-ish. Brain, your lettin me down man.
I've been able to use the same characters and should be able to continue for quite some time.
All that to say 2 things. I like stories and story telling is tough. A third thing too, I love feeding my kids' imaginations.
We seem to have solved the bathroom issue and are getting back to a new normal.
A few nights ago was more battlesome than usual because the routine was upset. Misbehavior had earned an early bed-time and no story for Cabu. Usually we (me and B-roo, & Cabu) read thru the "Jesus Storybook Bible" (wonderful book). Well 2hrs later I had enough and layed beside him & told him a story.
Figuring he was wise to most of the usuals I racked my brain for something to boil down. Meantime I started talking about a castle with a king & queen, a boy & a girl. Stalling really but ended up piecing together some junk story that softly made the soft point of "be honest" and he was out for the night. I've scrapped together a story a few nights now.
I'm loving this except my brain is failing me on a good story. I picked a character setup that he's relating to; a background he's loving (who doesn't like castley stuff). My stories have sucked. My audience hasn't caught on yet, but believe me - they do. I'm trying to weave in a good point, or some nice theology, maybe be parable-ish. Brain, your lettin me down man.
I've been able to use the same characters and should be able to continue for quite some time.
All that to say 2 things. I like stories and story telling is tough. A third thing too, I love feeding my kids' imaginations.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Whatever works for you
The other night at pickup frisbee a player asked me what I did? (meaning for work from the context). -"Mechanical engineer, I design steel mill equipment."
The reply was promptly "sounds boring."
I like my job.
It seems mankind was built with an ingrained desire to be artistic. Scientifically we're told of the great structure and societies of critters like ants and bees. While ants & bees may have a great society and social structure they are not artistic. There are no statues. No paintings. No odd colored honeycomb cell from the artistic bee.
Also consider music. Wolves howl & birds sing, but it is predominently signals to attract attention, good or bad. American Idol has shown people trying their best and doing both; but before the show existed everyone sang because they enjoyed singing. It's not reserved only for those who are good at it. Will walking be left for professional walkers? many people enjoy and will continue in it regardless of salary concerns.
The intrinsic art-nature pours into nearly every human endeavor.
I look at an old draft page and it is clear that the drafter took pride in their work. It is artistic, it is precise and intentional. The artistic effort has a guide rail of conveying information correctly, but the art is there.
My job is the next level of this. It used to be an engineer laid out concepts and something like 2-10 drafters moved that from sketches to drafts that a shop could use for manufacturing. Computers Aided Drafting (CAD) started as a way of making drafts quicker and possible for those with less artistic nature and patience. CAD moved to 3D and has basically put the engineer directly into the realm of making the drafts. The rough napkin sketches are now done on a screen. Essentially play-dough building models which quickly produce drafts.
Everyday I'm solving problems to make things work. It can be at a concept level - we need to make a widget to do function A, while doing B also. Or whether it's moving the concept to real world and figuring every part of a complex assembly and how the parts are built and fit together; or figuring out how to fit item X into the space that is already packed.
Problem + creativity + implementation = solution.
It wouldn't make good TV but it makes for a busy mind and busy hands. I understand the need for a job to pay the bills, put food on the table and take care of a family. Luckily, presently I enjoy my paying job. Even if circumstances required to do another job that had no enjoyment I would still be solving problems just on a smaller scale. I'd still build things and design widgets.
In our town there is a small mattress store with artwork that covers every wall. Pretty good artwork too. The owner is talkative and quick to discuss his art. He has no interest in selling any of it. He enjoys the art and the artistic effort. The mattress sales is simply a means of supplying his passion.
I find it no wonder that DaVinci excelled at artistic things and had countless sketches of wonderful machines. They are the same creative spirit just bordered by a frame of wood or a frame of physical laws.
Houses to me are a prime example of this. While functional aspects determine much the art seeps into trim work, wall colors, archways, cabinets, fixtures,...
Home is where the art is.
The reply was promptly "sounds boring."
I like my job
It seems mankind was built with an ingrained desire to be artistic. Scientifically we're told of the great structure and societies of critters like ants and bees. While ants & bees may have a great society and social structure they are not artistic. There are no statues. No paintings. No odd colored honeycomb cell from the artistic bee.
Also consider music. Wolves howl & birds sing, but it is predominently signals to attract attention, good or bad. American Idol has shown people trying their best and doing both; but before the show existed everyone sang because they enjoyed singing. It's not reserved only for those who are good at it. Will walking be left for professional walkers? many people enjoy and will continue in it regardless of salary concerns.
The intrinsic art-nature pours into nearly every human endeavor.
I look at an old draft page and it is clear that the drafter took pride in their work. It is artistic, it is precise and intentional. The artistic effort has a guide rail of conveying information correctly, but the art is there.
My job is the next level of this. It used to be an engineer laid out concepts and something like 2-10 drafters moved that from sketches to drafts that a shop could use for manufacturing. Computers Aided Drafting (CAD) started as a way of making drafts quicker and possible for those with less artistic nature and patience. CAD moved to 3D and has basically put the engineer directly into the realm of making the drafts. The rough napkin sketches are now done on a screen. Essentially play-dough building models which quickly produce drafts.
Everyday I'm solving problems to make things work. It can be at a concept level - we need to make a widget to do function A, while doing B also. Or whether it's moving the concept to real world and figuring every part of a complex assembly and how the parts are built and fit together; or figuring out how to fit item X into the space that is already packed.
Problem + creativity + implementation = solution.
It wouldn't make good TV but it makes for a busy mind and busy hands. I understand the need for a job to pay the bills, put food on the table and take care of a family. Luckily, presently I enjoy my paying job. Even if circumstances required to do another job that had no enjoyment I would still be solving problems just on a smaller scale. I'd still build things and design widgets.
In our town there is a small mattress store with artwork that covers every wall. Pretty good artwork too. The owner is talkative and quick to discuss his art. He has no interest in selling any of it. He enjoys the art and the artistic effort. The mattress sales is simply a means of supplying his passion.
I find it no wonder that DaVinci excelled at artistic things and had countless sketches of wonderful machines. They are the same creative spirit just bordered by a frame of wood or a frame of physical laws.
Houses to me are a prime example of this. While functional aspects determine much the art seeps into trim work, wall colors, archways, cabinets, fixtures,...
Home is where the art is.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Am I alone on this?
Today on the rabbitroom.com there was a post regarding playing a funny song for some friends and getting nothing as a reaction. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.
I've been a fan of Weird Al since the days of Eat It. I played the 45 of Like a Surgeon bordering on 1,000 times and also the B-side, Slime Creatures from Outerspace. A touching tribute to the struggles of relationships in a strange land...ish.
I've given up on trying to share Weird Al music. I laugh greatly and then get a sympathetic smile from the person I play it for.
Basically that awkward feeling that whatever you just said was completely missed by everyone. You're the only one who got the joke. You're the only one who caught the point of the story. The words are getting in the way of the point your making.
I find this happens for 2 reasons: ignorance & magnitude. An inside joke or a running gag depends on the audience having a knowledge of the previous events. Everyone else is on the outside. Or if the cultural reference or word play is unknown to the audience - expect the deer in the headlights look or at best a sympathy chuckle. Give the background & you receive an "oh I see now" but the moment is past.
The other side is an idea so big that words fail. The words are darts tossed at the target on the wall. Describing a rainbow or a sunset. Anything that evokes feelings will make it difficult to describe. Explaining why you like church, sports, or your favorite book. It is difficult to do with a few sentences. Big concepts of feelings (joy, anger, frustration) will often fall back to examples. Why you like your house will revert to describing objects or events.
A third option is it's just you. I like Weird Al, Becky doesn't. I love ultimate frisbee and can blather about it greatly (oh, yeah. the last 3 posts). This is beyond personality.
Basically you are knit in the womb with certain preferences, abilities, joys and sadnesses in life. It's how you are made. It becomes humbling to realize God made you & prepared you for certain things. "God made you special, and he loves you very much." Bob the Tomato. It's even more humbling (or especially humbling) because you see how your selfishness gets in the way of your maximum potential for God.
That's in one sense the paradox of the gospel. You can be proud and rejoice in the fact and the knowledge that God made you. He made you special for certain things that his providential love will weave with others for a great good. You are also humbled, beyond humbled wrecked with the knowledge that your sin creates a barrier from being useful. The freeing power of the gospel is that you are washed & ready for use.
So yes I am alone, and no I am not.
I've been a fan of Weird Al since the days of Eat It. I played the 45 of Like a Surgeon bordering on 1,000 times and also the B-side, Slime Creatures from Outerspace. A touching tribute to the struggles of relationships in a strange land...ish.
I've given up on trying to share Weird Al music. I laugh greatly and then get a sympathetic smile from the person I play it for.
Basically that awkward feeling that whatever you just said was completely missed by everyone. You're the only one who got the joke. You're the only one who caught the point of the story. The words are getting in the way of the point your making.
I find this happens for 2 reasons: ignorance & magnitude. An inside joke or a running gag depends on the audience having a knowledge of the previous events. Everyone else is on the outside. Or if the cultural reference or word play is unknown to the audience - expect the deer in the headlights look or at best a sympathy chuckle. Give the background & you receive an "oh I see now" but the moment is past.
The other side is an idea so big that words fail. The words are darts tossed at the target on the wall. Describing a rainbow or a sunset. Anything that evokes feelings will make it difficult to describe. Explaining why you like church, sports, or your favorite book. It is difficult to do with a few sentences. Big concepts of feelings (joy, anger, frustration) will often fall back to examples. Why you like your house will revert to describing objects or events.
A third option is it's just you. I like Weird Al, Becky doesn't. I love ultimate frisbee and can blather about it greatly (oh, yeah. the last 3 posts). This is beyond personality.
Basically you are knit in the womb with certain preferences, abilities, joys and sadnesses in life. It's how you are made. It becomes humbling to realize God made you & prepared you for certain things. "God made you special, and he loves you very much." Bob the Tomato. It's even more humbling (or especially humbling) because you see how your selfishness gets in the way of your maximum potential for God.
That's in one sense the paradox of the gospel. You can be proud and rejoice in the fact and the knowledge that God made you. He made you special for certain things that his providential love will weave with others for a great good. You are also humbled, beyond humbled wrecked with the knowledge that your sin creates a barrier from being useful. The freeing power of the gospel is that you are washed & ready for use.
So yes I am alone, and no I am not.
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