ON ART, DEATH, TRUTH, HUBRIS AND THE UNSEXY CALL FOR MEDIA ACCOUNTABILITY

This article, from Paste, reminds me of some, ahem, "discussions" we've had about films such as No Country for Old Men. 

Read. Think. Talk. 

Manglish Quiz

So this isn't really Manglish (the native language here is called Bahasa Malaysia but everyone speaks English) but I'm not sure what else to call it. There's also a bit of British English in the mix too: they say things like queue instead of line, etc.

I'm getting ahead of myself. After living here for over a year I find myself using more and more phrases that I don't think I would've used a year ago and definitely wouldn't have known what some of them meant. So, I want to give y'all a chance to try your hand, er, interpretation at Manglish. Maybe this will help prepare you to understand me when I come home (which I'm still not sure when I'll be home...i will be back for SB'10!). Maybe you'll get some fun new vocab words and phrases. maybe it'll prepare you for your trip to visit me:) i donno. Here goes:

1. Have you ever seen someone's bonnet fly up while they were driving down the road?
2. My boots are in the boot. (double whammy)
3. Nobody wants to be the lamppost.
4. Does anybody have a plaster?
5. Can I follow you to church?
6. I'm gonna make a move first.
7. I had to use my torchlight today.
8. Ugh, my computer hanged again!
9. I need to go to the toilet. (a freebie)
10. My computer's spoiled already.
11. I banged the car!

ok, so some are easy; some a little tricky. i tried to use the phrases in the context that i first heard them. i'll post the answers later this week!

Was it worth it?

I thought this was funny.

Phelanphonic, Winter 2009

I've heard a lot of good, new music lately, and I've decided to share it with you guys. You can download the mix here. Many of the songs came from a music blog called Daytrotter that has a band into their studio to record four or five live tracks five days a week. The variety and quality of the music is good, although the writing is pretty abysmal and the quantity is overwhelming. It's worth checking out.

Here's the playlist:

Side One:


1. Weekend Wars, MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
2. Just Like Christmas, Low, Christmas
3. Eyes Peeled, Half-Handed Cloud, Daytrotter Session
4. Foot on the Brake, Half-Handed Cloud, Daytrotter Session
5. Sway, The Heartless Bastards, Daytrotter Session
6. So So, Brooke Waggoner, The Front Row Series: Brooke Waggoner with Mandy Mapes
7. Hush If You Must, Brooke Waggoner, The Front Row Series: Brooke Waggoner with Mandy Mapes
8. Beaut, Brooke Waggoner, The Front Row Series: Brooke Waggoner with Mandy Mapes
9. Day Lover, Brooke Waggoner, The Front Row Series: Brooke Waggoner with Mandy Mapes
10. Ben Taylor poem, Ben Taylor, Daytrotter Session


Side Two:


11. Wagon Wheel, Old Crow Medicine Show, O.C.M.S.
12. In A Strange Dream My Darling Mona Lisa, The Great Book Of John, Yves' Blues
13. The Ghost Inside Our House, Cloud Cult, Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)
14. Cotton and Velvet, Cotton Jones Basket Ride, Daytrotter Session
15. Gypsy Rose, Ben Kweller, Daytrotter Session
16. Furr, Blitzen Trapper, Daytrotter Session
17. Lille, Lisa Hannigan
18. Gone The Bells, Cotton Jones Basket Ride, Daytrotter Session
19. James, The Great Book Of John, Yves' Blues
20. Dracula's Lament, Jason Segel, Forgetting Sarah Marshall Soundtrack

What???

The Catholic Church is bringing back indulgences. I'm surprised and confused. Thoughts?

Darwin's View of Unfolding Creation

I think many of you guys would enjoy this podcast about Darwin's view of creation. I really can't stress how quality this program, Speaking of Faith, consistently is. Listen to it and tell me what you think!

Big Update Friends

i have some news for all of you, this coming Thursday, the 12Th at 3:3o I have an interview with the Binghamton Development Corporation. If i get this job it would be huge. because they are working in Binghamton, and are doing great things with community development. There are two big things that could keep me from getting this job. One is that the guy whose job i would be taking is moving to Montana to do community development there. On February 25Th the zoning board in Billings, Montana is going to vote on a change in some zoning that would give this guy a job, if the zoning board votes it down then there will be no job opening, but if the vote goes through, then there will be a job opening. Two, there are other guys applying for this job, and obviously they could choose him. Anyways if i get this job it would be incredible. so I am just asking for ya'lls prayers on Thursday and on the 25Th. Anyway I love y'all and am blessed to have friends like you. Also, go and see Slumdog Millionaire if you haven't already it is incredible.

And one more reason to see Elaine Sing . . .

Some explanation in order: This weekend I am singing with the Birmingham Concert Chorale, along with 3 other college choirs, making a choir of about 300 plus a children's choir, in Carmina Burana. We will be accompanying the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. It should be pretty cool. 

The performances are on Friday and Saturday nights at the Alys Stephens center, and you are welcome to come. But . . . the tickets are pretty steep, ranging from $25-$85. 

Have no fear. You can come to an "open rehearsal" on Thursday for FREE. It won't be quite as seamless or aesthetically pleasing as the actual performance, but you'll get the idea, along with a "behind the scenes" sort of feel. The rehearsal will be from 7:00 to 9:30 at the Alys Stephen's center.