A while ago I was listening to The Confessions of St. Augustine in my car. The confessions are always a good thing to go back to now and again. I'm often amazed by the depth of Augustine's devotion to God as well as by his theological insight. This time I was struck by this passage:
"Yet I sinned, O Lord my God, ruler and creator of all natural things, but of sins only the ruler. I sinned, O Lord my God, by going against the commands of my parents and of those teachers.... I was disobedient not out of a desire for better things, but out of love for play. I loved to win proud victories in our contests, and to have my ears tickled by false stories, so that they would itch all the more intensely for them, with the same kind of curiosity glittering more and more in my eyes for shows, the games of grown up men.... Lord in your mercy look down upon these things and deliver those of us who now call upon you. Deliver also those who do not yet call upon you, so that they may call upon you and you may deliver them." Confessions bk. 1, ch. 10. John Ryan, tr.
I was struck by Augustine's observation that he was distracted from his studies as a child not by better things as such but by the things he enjoyed at the time. The Confessions were written in his early to mid-forties. I just remember hearing that passage and thinking, "That's me." Most kids are distracted from study by play, but for whatever reason I was surprised to see how much I'm distracted by it as an adult and even more by the "false stories" that I devote so much time to on t.v. or in movies, or, for that matter, in books. I have friends who don't read fiction precisely because they don't care to immerse themselves in things that aren't true. Obviously they miss out on a lot, but probably much less than I'm inclined to argue for.
In other news, I think my toe is getting better. It was definitely better when I went back to the doctor's office on the 19th, and it held up well to c. 5 miles of corn maze walking on the 20th. It doesn't look much better now and it's still sore, so we'll see. We closed our softball season on the 21st with a resounding, and probably fitting, loss. We had fun and hopefully we'll be better in the spring. Last night I got to go see The Producers with my friend Dianne. We had a good time and it was definitely funnier as a live production than I remember the Mostel/Wilder movie version being. I also took yesterday off to do some personal reflection and rejuvenation. I had a good time walking around the lake at the Independence Grove forest preserve in Libertyville. That yielded some good prayer time, some exercise and the following haiku:
Geese land on the lake.
Wings outstretched they fall with grace
Beneath cloudy skies.
This world's grey curtain
Pulls back to show green shores as
A swift sun rises.
I love watching geese and ducks drop toward a lake. There's an amazing grace about the way they bend their wings down to just drop out of the sky toward the water. This time I saw a few who looked kind of wobbly as they headed in for the landing like they were hitting unexpected air turbulence or were jockeying for position with the other geese. It was fun to watch. I also noticed that if you look at them from the right angle, geese look like two legged, tailless brontosauri. It was a good day.
Verse of the day:
"The sluggard says, 'There is a lion in the road!
There is a lion in the streets!'" Prov. 26:13 (ESV)
Gratuitous quote:
"Of course. I am also a traditionally built lady, though not so traditionally built as you by a long way." Mma Makutsi to Mma Ramotswe in Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Interesting Story About Dying Languages
I found this story on the First Things blog about the cultural loss of endangered languages. It is a very interesting story, especially if you're into linguistics or anthropology.
Happy Birthday Toe Me
So last Monday I had a birthday. In many ways it was no different from any other Monday. When I went out my car was a little different than usual. There was a bunch of stuff in red paint on the windows about it being my birthday and hopefully a happy one. Seems the Wonder Slug had decorated my car. I was happy. That was it for b-day celebrating on the 8th. Later, though, to make the day memorable in another way I managed to turn over a book cart onto my toe. Either a large index or the cart itself struck my left big toe right around the base of the nail. It turned blue-gray almost instantly. Meanwhile I reloaded the cart while two small Asian children laughed at me and headed on to the dumpster. Then it started to rain.
Two days later as I limped about my business someone saw the redness surrounding the nail and suggested that it might be infected and that I should see a doctor. That night one of the youth stepped on it, just in case it didn't hurt badly enough. On Friday I went to my new doctor. He described it as a hematoma (hema-toe-ma?) and chided me for not trimming the nail (which, for the record, I was trying not to think about touching) but did not think it infected. He prescribed an antibiotic just in case and told me to soak it twice a day and come back in a week. So tomorrow I'll return to the doctor with an almost painless toe and a nail that is still an interesting shade of blue gray.
Between the birthday and now, I was also taken out for dinner at Bob Chinn's Crab House by my friend Cindee, hosted a poetry reading and viewing of Monty Python's Holy Grail at my apartment on Saturday (missing UK's amazing victory over LSU in the process), taught both jr. high and high school youth groups about God's Kingdom coming with power, and had a generally good time. So it's been mostly a good birthmonth so far with a slight undertow of pain.
Verse of the day:
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)
Random Amusing Quotes:
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Benjamin Franklin (from the front of the birthday card given me by EW and DP
"I'd hate for there to be an invisible Haitian in the room." EM (a Heroes-based explanation for why Worm couldn't use telekinesis to retrieve a book from one of our bookshelves)
"We've been foiled!" SW (his response to seeing the Dove chocolate wrapper poetry the Wonder Slug had left on our refrigerator)
Two days later as I limped about my business someone saw the redness surrounding the nail and suggested that it might be infected and that I should see a doctor. That night one of the youth stepped on it, just in case it didn't hurt badly enough. On Friday I went to my new doctor. He described it as a hematoma (hema-toe-ma?) and chided me for not trimming the nail (which, for the record, I was trying not to think about touching) but did not think it infected. He prescribed an antibiotic just in case and told me to soak it twice a day and come back in a week. So tomorrow I'll return to the doctor with an almost painless toe and a nail that is still an interesting shade of blue gray.
Between the birthday and now, I was also taken out for dinner at Bob Chinn's Crab House by my friend Cindee, hosted a poetry reading and viewing of Monty Python's Holy Grail at my apartment on Saturday (missing UK's amazing victory over LSU in the process), taught both jr. high and high school youth groups about God's Kingdom coming with power, and had a generally good time. So it's been mostly a good birthmonth so far with a slight undertow of pain.
Verse of the day:
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)
Random Amusing Quotes:
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." Benjamin Franklin (from the front of the birthday card given me by EW and DP
"I'd hate for there to be an invisible Haitian in the room." EM (a Heroes-based explanation for why Worm couldn't use telekinesis to retrieve a book from one of our bookshelves)
"We've been foiled!" SW (his response to seeing the Dove chocolate wrapper poetry the Wonder Slug had left on our refrigerator)
Monday, October 08, 2007
Summer Movie Music and Update
I mentioned in my last post that I'd wanted to blog about my favorite movie music moments from this past summer. Music has a great influence on how much I like a movie. Basil Poledouris' score is one of the reasons that Conan the Barbarian was long my favorite movie and also the reason I first began to consider that I might like classical music. I still think you could play the music from Pirates of the Caribbean over any other movie and I would like that movie. One of the reasons I stay through the credits is to let the final music soak in while I think about the movie. That said I wanted to mention my favorite music moments from summer movies in chronological order.
1. The electric guitar during the meeting on the sandbar in PotC III. Captains Swann, Barbossa, and Sparrow face off with Will Turner, Davey Jones, and Lord Cutler-Beckett while the guitar wails. It was very much like something out of a western.
2. The choral "Spider Pig" from the Simpsons. Homer adopts a pig. At one point Marge wonders how the pig tracks got on the ceiling. She goes into the living room to see Homer holding the pig on the ceiling and singing, "Spider Pig, Spider Pig/Does whatever a spider-pig does./Can he swing from a web?/No he cant, 'cause he's a pig." Later in the movie during a vision quest scene and again at the credits there's a choral version that's kind of eerie and ethereal like the song "Something Wicked This Way Comes" in the soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I absolutely loved it.
3. The score from Stardust, especially in the race to the wall and the dash to the witches' stronghold but I loved the score throughout the movie including the Can-Can. The part I hated was the song that played over the main credits. It was horrible. It didn't fit with the rest of the music and was just an annoying cheesy pop song. I had the same reaction to the song that played over the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon credits, but at least when I bought the soundtrack I hear how it blended the themes from Tan Dun's score. There was nothing redeemable about the marketing effort at the end of Stardust except when the song ended and was replaced by a reprise of the Can-Can. The end credits pop song that really worked this summer was the one on The Bourne Ultimatum.
In other news, our LIFEgroup hosted our Cramtastic Oktoberfest Root Beer Kegger this weekend to raise money for our friends the Crams who will be doing church planting in Germany. I was disappointed with the turnout but those who came had a good time and we had a very good prayer time after Kevin shared what they would be doing. It was fun and I'm very happy with how the group pitched in to make it happen. Since my last post we've lost three more softball games, I've lost games of Munchkin and Settlers, spoken to the youth about the benefits of Kingdom of God and am having a birthday. Today I turn 1 year less than the square of 1/2 the square root of a gross or the cube root of 42875 or 1/2 of my three score and ten. Alternately I'm turning 29 for the 7th consecutive year. Happy birthday to me.
Verse of the day:
"Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
1. The electric guitar during the meeting on the sandbar in PotC III. Captains Swann, Barbossa, and Sparrow face off with Will Turner, Davey Jones, and Lord Cutler-Beckett while the guitar wails. It was very much like something out of a western.
2. The choral "Spider Pig" from the Simpsons. Homer adopts a pig. At one point Marge wonders how the pig tracks got on the ceiling. She goes into the living room to see Homer holding the pig on the ceiling and singing, "Spider Pig, Spider Pig/Does whatever a spider-pig does./Can he swing from a web?/No he cant, 'cause he's a pig." Later in the movie during a vision quest scene and again at the credits there's a choral version that's kind of eerie and ethereal like the song "Something Wicked This Way Comes" in the soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I absolutely loved it.
3. The score from Stardust, especially in the race to the wall and the dash to the witches' stronghold but I loved the score throughout the movie including the Can-Can. The part I hated was the song that played over the main credits. It was horrible. It didn't fit with the rest of the music and was just an annoying cheesy pop song. I had the same reaction to the song that played over the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon credits, but at least when I bought the soundtrack I hear how it blended the themes from Tan Dun's score. There was nothing redeemable about the marketing effort at the end of Stardust except when the song ended and was replaced by a reprise of the Can-Can. The end credits pop song that really worked this summer was the one on The Bourne Ultimatum.
In other news, our LIFEgroup hosted our Cramtastic Oktoberfest Root Beer Kegger this weekend to raise money for our friends the Crams who will be doing church planting in Germany. I was disappointed with the turnout but those who came had a good time and we had a very good prayer time after Kevin shared what they would be doing. It was fun and I'm very happy with how the group pitched in to make it happen. Since my last post we've lost three more softball games, I've lost games of Munchkin and Settlers, spoken to the youth about the benefits of Kingdom of God and am having a birthday. Today I turn 1 year less than the square of 1/2 the square root of a gross or the cube root of 42875 or 1/2 of my three score and ten. Alternately I'm turning 29 for the 7th consecutive year. Happy birthday to me.
Verse of the day:
"Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)
Saturday, September 29, 2007
September and stuff to Blog About
My New Year's Resolution was to blog daily, or near daily. How different is monthly really? Wouldn't you rather have 12 quality posts than 326 hastily scribed musings? Too bad about the quality on the 12 then, huh.
September started off fun at Ann and Daniel's as part of my second annual Labor Day Swing Through Tennessee and Kentucky. Eating Indian food with Anniel and playing with Cora and Lydia and Geron were supplemented by a good visit with my old friend John who runs the Harmony House Cafe in Dayton, Tennessee and by time with Mom and Dad. I also got to spend quality road time with Karl Barth and Robinson Crusoe. The rest of the month has been the usual mixture of church, work, friends, reading, and watching. Steve and I caught up with Battlestar Galactica to the end of the 2nd season and the 1st season of Heroes, and surprising new entry Chuck. My LIFEgroup hosted a fun dinner for church's pastor for children's and women's ministries and her husband. We're hosting each pastoral staff family as way of honoring our leaders based on our study of 3rd John last spring. Now we're gearing up for a Kramtastic Oktoberfest Root Beer Kegger to raise funds for our friends the Krams who will be doing church planting ministry in Germany. Our softball team won a couple of games and would have won another if we'd had a ninth player. 3-D is settling into a school year routine and I'm getting used to my small group guys. I'm a bit tired right now because I spent last night at the Libertyville Sports Complex as part of large multi-church junior high lock-in. We blew up balloons with our noses (Gio rocks!), played knock-out, 2 on 2 basketball, football, lots of dodge ball, duck dodging, sardines (at the church before going over to LSC (Theresa and Shannon also rock for the 3rd best hiding job ever), worked a batting cage for a while, and played lots of pool at the church.. I took a long nap when I got home but I'm still tired. So it's been a good month, filled with all the usual shenanigans.
Along the way, some of the many topics I planned to post about but never got around to: favorite movie music moments from the summer, why I enjoy pro-wrestling, LibraryThing.com, Ahaz' strange idolatry, the way certain scenes stick out from books, and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember now. I want to blog. I even like writing some but I just never get around to it.
Verse of the day:
"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)
September started off fun at Ann and Daniel's as part of my second annual Labor Day Swing Through Tennessee and Kentucky. Eating Indian food with Anniel and playing with Cora and Lydia and Geron were supplemented by a good visit with my old friend John who runs the Harmony House Cafe in Dayton, Tennessee and by time with Mom and Dad. I also got to spend quality road time with Karl Barth and Robinson Crusoe. The rest of the month has been the usual mixture of church, work, friends, reading, and watching. Steve and I caught up with Battlestar Galactica to the end of the 2nd season and the 1st season of Heroes, and surprising new entry Chuck. My LIFEgroup hosted a fun dinner for church's pastor for children's and women's ministries and her husband. We're hosting each pastoral staff family as way of honoring our leaders based on our study of 3rd John last spring. Now we're gearing up for a Kramtastic Oktoberfest Root Beer Kegger to raise funds for our friends the Krams who will be doing church planting ministry in Germany. Our softball team won a couple of games and would have won another if we'd had a ninth player. 3-D is settling into a school year routine and I'm getting used to my small group guys. I'm a bit tired right now because I spent last night at the Libertyville Sports Complex as part of large multi-church junior high lock-in. We blew up balloons with our noses (Gio rocks!), played knock-out, 2 on 2 basketball, football, lots of dodge ball, duck dodging, sardines (at the church before going over to LSC (Theresa and Shannon also rock for the 3rd best hiding job ever), worked a batting cage for a while, and played lots of pool at the church.. I took a long nap when I got home but I'm still tired. So it's been a good month, filled with all the usual shenanigans.
Along the way, some of the many topics I planned to post about but never got around to: favorite movie music moments from the summer, why I enjoy pro-wrestling, LibraryThing.com, Ahaz' strange idolatry, the way certain scenes stick out from books, and a bunch of other stuff I can't remember now. I want to blog. I even like writing some but I just never get around to it.
Verse of the day:
"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message)
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Karaoke and Other forms of Fun
We had a good time Friday at night at Jenn's karaoke party. There's nothing quite like watching somebody get caught off guard by the start of Happy Birthday on the karaoke screen and then trying to catch up. Dave wanted to sing it to her as the cake came out. Of course we all helped him get back on track, but it was a funny moment. I took another stab at Johnny Cash and sang Ring of Fire as Dave had promised everyone in the invitation. I met my obligation but John totally ducked his on Sweet Caroline. I like Johnny Cash a lot and it's fun to sing along in the car but after this experience and my previous attempt at Riders in the Sky I may have to give up. I can't really sing low enough and compounded that by holding the mike too far from my face so my friends couldn't hardly hear me. I did try Boy Named Sue once but the speak-singing makes that tricky. Oh well. Later in the evening I felt pretty good about Man of Constant Sorrow. The range is right, I know and love it, and I've even "bid farewell to old Kentucky, the place where I was born and raised." I tried to get Steve to it but eventually had to admit defeat and sing it myself. Man of Constant Sorrow goes along with Birdhouse in Your Soul and Copperhead Road as my karaoke successes. CR gets low in a couple of places but I can cover those with enthusiasm. As long as I'm on the subject the other two songs I've tried have length problems. Simon and Garfunkel's The Rat is too short. Dire Straits' Money for Nothing is just right if you only focus on the part you sing along with in the car but you've got a minute of "I want my MTV" at the beginning and about two minutes of "Money for nothing, chicks for free" at the end. It's a fun two minute song sandwiched between three minutes of standing there feeling stupid. I think for the next time I go I want to try the traditional Irish song Finnegan's Wake, about a dead Irishman who's revived when whiskey's spilled on him during a brawl at his wake, and I Just Stopped in to See What Condition My Condition Was In by Kenny Rogers from the Gutterballin' sequence in The Big Lebowski soundtrack. "Phone's ringin', Dude."
On Saturday Steve and I went to the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Bristol, Wis. Steve got to dress up a little and wear a pirate shirt and his sword. I don't have any costume gear so I dressed as myself. We looked into buying me a battle axe but couldn't find anything in my price range. I enjoy the ren faire but I just can't bring myself to spend the money on costuming. We saw some funny jugglers and magicians and a pretty cool display of 16th century surgical methods. We also got some good food and I took care of my annual mead fix, so honoring my Renaissance Meador ancestors. I was talking a week ago with a friend at church who had been to the faire. We noted the incongruity of an event claiming to be set in the Renaissance with no tinge of Christianity. D. joked that they could at least burn a heretic. I kind of think that if I ever do go in costume it'd be fun to go as a friar, or maybe given the 1589 English setting, as a Puritan.
After the faire we went down to Trinity for the new student orientation church fair (I guess Saturday was a "fair day" despite the rainy weather). We got to talk about our church to a number of new seminary and college students and with a few of the other church reps. that were there. It was a fun time. We had a lot more seminary than college contacts but it still felt like a worthwhile time to me. Later last night we went over to some friends' new apartment. They've got a really nice place and they've decorated it well. We played games, including losing and winning games of Settlers, and hung out.
On Sunday we got hear a very encouraging sermon on baptism followed by a good time of communion and singing. We closed the service with I'll Fly Away. As a congregation we can't clap to that with any coherence but it was still a sweet time of affirmation of our hope in Christ. Our church men's ministry sponsored a day of service where men with various skills would go the homes of single women and moms who requested it and do various odd jobs and repairs. After the service I teamed up with a group of men and we went to a lady's house and installed a phone jack, repaired her screen door, hung some pictures, fixed a toilet, and reset a sliding door. The rain prevented some jobs like cutting down a tree and some car repairs, but we got to help out some of the women in the church and work together with some new guys so it was a good time. Unfortunately the same rain that shut out some of the service projects also rained the first softball game of the fall season. Apparently the caretakers of the Libertyville Sports Complex softball pond didn't think we could swim well enough to pull off a game. That was just as well as it gave me and Steve time to catch up on our Battlestar Galactica watching, reading, and laundry.
Verse of the day:
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Rom. 6:3-4 (NIV)
On Saturday Steve and I went to the Bristol Renaissance Faire in Bristol, Wis. Steve got to dress up a little and wear a pirate shirt and his sword. I don't have any costume gear so I dressed as myself. We looked into buying me a battle axe but couldn't find anything in my price range. I enjoy the ren faire but I just can't bring myself to spend the money on costuming. We saw some funny jugglers and magicians and a pretty cool display of 16th century surgical methods. We also got some good food and I took care of my annual mead fix, so honoring my Renaissance Meador ancestors. I was talking a week ago with a friend at church who had been to the faire. We noted the incongruity of an event claiming to be set in the Renaissance with no tinge of Christianity. D. joked that they could at least burn a heretic. I kind of think that if I ever do go in costume it'd be fun to go as a friar, or maybe given the 1589 English setting, as a Puritan.
After the faire we went down to Trinity for the new student orientation church fair (I guess Saturday was a "fair day" despite the rainy weather). We got to talk about our church to a number of new seminary and college students and with a few of the other church reps. that were there. It was a fun time. We had a lot more seminary than college contacts but it still felt like a worthwhile time to me. Later last night we went over to some friends' new apartment. They've got a really nice place and they've decorated it well. We played games, including losing and winning games of Settlers, and hung out.
On Sunday we got hear a very encouraging sermon on baptism followed by a good time of communion and singing. We closed the service with I'll Fly Away. As a congregation we can't clap to that with any coherence but it was still a sweet time of affirmation of our hope in Christ. Our church men's ministry sponsored a day of service where men with various skills would go the homes of single women and moms who requested it and do various odd jobs and repairs. After the service I teamed up with a group of men and we went to a lady's house and installed a phone jack, repaired her screen door, hung some pictures, fixed a toilet, and reset a sliding door. The rain prevented some jobs like cutting down a tree and some car repairs, but we got to help out some of the women in the church and work together with some new guys so it was a good time. Unfortunately the same rain that shut out some of the service projects also rained the first softball game of the fall season. Apparently the caretakers of the Libertyville Sports Complex softball pond didn't think we could swim well enough to pull off a game. That was just as well as it gave me and Steve time to catch up on our Battlestar Galactica watching, reading, and laundry.
Verse of the day:
"Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Rom. 6:3-4 (NIV)
Friday, August 17, 2007
Karaoke Wishes
I'm going Karaoke-ing tonight for my friend Jenn's birthday. I mentioned to my friend Dianne one time that I have trouble choosing what songs to sing because the stuff I know well is usually too obscure for the club. She asked me what I would sing if I could. I thought I'd make a list of songs I'd be comfortable enough to try but that I've never seen on a Karaoke play list.
Steve Earle - Johnny Come Lately, The Mountain, or Going South to Dixie: I flipped the time I found Copperhead Road available but my favorite song off that album is Johnnie Come Lately.
The Pogues - Lorelei: I finally found a Pogues song for karaoke, Fairytale of New York, and was writing it down on the request slip before I remembered it's a duet for male and female and probably no women I hang out with would sing it with me.
The Violent Femmes - Country Death Song: it's the darkest on the bunch and is fairly evil. I can see why it's not on lists but it's fun to sing.
The Sadies - It's Nothing to Me: there's other Sadies stuff that would be fun but it's usually too low for my range.
The Chieftains and Mick Jagger - The Long Black Veil: This one is usually on the lists but in a different arrangement that's too swing-y and light. I like the way Jagger sings it.
The Clancy Brothers - The Parting Glass: the place I go has a few traditional Irish songs on the list, and I might try Finnegan's Wake tonight, but I'd like to do this one. I love it both as the Clancy's do it and in the arrangement on the soundtrack to Waking Ned Divine. I usually end up singing this one going from my car to the door after karaoke. The Foggy Dew is another good one.
Johnny Cash - The L&N Don't Stop There Anymore: like the Sadies most Johnny Cash is too low but that doesn't stop me from trying. I also like his version of Poor Wayfaring Stranger.
Kingston Trio - Coal Tattoo: I've loved this ever since I heard Aunt Margaret sing it.
Steve Taylor - Finish Line: It's probably just as well, I cry at the end.
Glass Hammer - Dwarf and Orc: I don't actually know this well enough to sing it in public but I wish I did.
They Might Be Giants - I Returned a Bag of Groceries (Dead): I had a lot of fun learning and singing Birdhouse in Your Soul the last time I went out, but this is my favorite TMBG song to sing.
The Crossing - None But One, Winter, Where Has the Carpenter Gone, Rise Ye Up and Go, Psalm, The Bold Little Preacher, Standing Stones: if I had to pick one it'd be Psalm but since it's never going to happen I can do them all.
Michael Card - God's Own Fool: There's a lot of Card songs but this is the one for me unless I count the settings of Come Ye Sinners, and Jesus, Lover of My Soul on Starkindler. Those are possibly my two favorite hymn settings.
Third Day - Consuming Fire: This one might have a chance on Christian karaoke discs.
So there's a list of songs I wish I could sing for karaoke, none of which I'll get to do tonight.
Random quote from youth group:
"You think nobody will know? God knows and so does Google." NW in his message
Verse of the day:
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
Steve Earle - Johnny Come Lately, The Mountain, or Going South to Dixie: I flipped the time I found Copperhead Road available but my favorite song off that album is Johnnie Come Lately.
The Pogues - Lorelei: I finally found a Pogues song for karaoke, Fairytale of New York, and was writing it down on the request slip before I remembered it's a duet for male and female and probably no women I hang out with would sing it with me.
The Violent Femmes - Country Death Song: it's the darkest on the bunch and is fairly evil. I can see why it's not on lists but it's fun to sing.
The Sadies - It's Nothing to Me: there's other Sadies stuff that would be fun but it's usually too low for my range.
The Chieftains and Mick Jagger - The Long Black Veil: This one is usually on the lists but in a different arrangement that's too swing-y and light. I like the way Jagger sings it.
The Clancy Brothers - The Parting Glass: the place I go has a few traditional Irish songs on the list, and I might try Finnegan's Wake tonight, but I'd like to do this one. I love it both as the Clancy's do it and in the arrangement on the soundtrack to Waking Ned Divine. I usually end up singing this one going from my car to the door after karaoke. The Foggy Dew is another good one.
Johnny Cash - The L&N Don't Stop There Anymore: like the Sadies most Johnny Cash is too low but that doesn't stop me from trying. I also like his version of Poor Wayfaring Stranger.
Kingston Trio - Coal Tattoo: I've loved this ever since I heard Aunt Margaret sing it.
Steve Taylor - Finish Line: It's probably just as well, I cry at the end.
Glass Hammer - Dwarf and Orc: I don't actually know this well enough to sing it in public but I wish I did.
They Might Be Giants - I Returned a Bag of Groceries (Dead): I had a lot of fun learning and singing Birdhouse in Your Soul the last time I went out, but this is my favorite TMBG song to sing.
The Crossing - None But One, Winter, Where Has the Carpenter Gone, Rise Ye Up and Go, Psalm, The Bold Little Preacher, Standing Stones: if I had to pick one it'd be Psalm but since it's never going to happen I can do them all.
Michael Card - God's Own Fool: There's a lot of Card songs but this is the one for me unless I count the settings of Come Ye Sinners, and Jesus, Lover of My Soul on Starkindler. Those are possibly my two favorite hymn settings.
Third Day - Consuming Fire: This one might have a chance on Christian karaoke discs.
So there's a list of songs I wish I could sing for karaoke, none of which I'll get to do tonight.
Random quote from youth group:
"You think nobody will know? God knows and so does Google." NW in his message
Verse of the day:
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21
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