Tooting my own Horn a Bit

Hello!
As you might know, I must complete an internship as part of my degree program at TU and this summer, I’m doing that. Thus, I’m not living at home (I will save the internship story for the next time I decide to blog in some length). That means I have to cook for myself quite a bit.

Now, I’ve always liked cooking, but rarely gotten to do it every day. It’s quite fun. My most recent efforts:

+Chicken breast tenders with broccoli in a balsamic vinegar sauce (this went really well, considering I was flying blind).
+Homemade pizza, with Amanda. Excellent.
+Guacamole. Mom still makes it better than I can.
+Hummus. Caleb definitely makes it better than I can (I’ll be giving it another go soon).

That’s just within the last 8 days or so. Anyway, summer has been good, I’m pretty busy, but I’ve started/resumed some good habits. I miss you all, of course, and hope your summer is going well.

Filed under: Uncategorized

on underdogs: a clarification

So I’m not sure I was really that clear in my last post.  You see, I think what I was getting at is that in some situations (for example, the one I used), the ‘underdog’ is only that by virtue of being worse in the games prior to the one in question.

This is different from the NCAA tournament, where some teams are actual underdogs – they have less revenue, smaller gyms, less program prestige, less famous coaches, etc.  They are at a disadvantage given their circumstances; they’re not on a level playing field.  Butler/Gonzaga/George Mason/UW-Milwalkee/etc. are at a distinct and obvious disadvantage against Duke/UNC/Indiana/Kansas/Kentucky/etc.

However, in a professional setting, where there isn’t some uplifting narrative (player/team overcomes serious adversity, ranging from…say, a star’s devastating injury to something more “real life serious”), actual disadvantage (as an example, baseball, where there’s no salary cap*), or legitimate reason to dislike the other team (and no, their own success is not an adequate reason) cheering for ‘the underdog’ is really just ‘cheering for the team that isn’t as good.’  Which probably takes some of the fun out of it, huh?

 

[*it could be argued that this is actually not a disadvantage, as everyone abides by those no-cap rules, but then you could also say that there's no cap on athletic department budgets, so there aren't underdogs in college hoops without the conditions I listed, which seems a slippery slope.]

Filed under: Uncategorized

on underdogs

The (Mostly) Unrelated Preamble:  Everything is stressful right now, but to what end?  Two tests the past two days, three more by three on Wednesday, not to mention a rough draft; however, I think I’m going to make it.  As of tonight, I have decided that I can afford to take a break for a bit – two of those tests down, it’s gorgeous outside, and the Cubs beat the Cards coming from behind today.  All those things considered along with the fact that I slept for only five hours last night mean I’ve decided I can take time for more than just short form, takes-two-seconds microblogging, whether that be twitter or tumblr.  Pretty great stuff has been happening lately, from realizing a couple friends have similar post-graduation plans to me, to taking to Caleb about said plans, to a couple of friends getting jobs they wanted (albeit jobs that will take those guys pretty far from me =/ ).

Amanda comes back from Ireland soon; visiting her on SB was great, etc.

Anyway, I wanted to write, so I cracked open the notebook with the “Things to blog about:” list, and here’s what’s coming – my take on cultural love affairs with underdogs.

To make a long story short, I don’t really get it.

Take, for example, this year’s Super Bowl.  The vast majority of unbiased fans, it seemed to me, decided to cheer for the Arizona Cardinals.  Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that, I just wonder why they came to that conclusion.  You see, the Cardinals entered the game as pretty significant underdogs.  They weren’t even supposed to be there in the first place, by most accounts, after they only went 9-7 during the regular season.  The Steelers, on the other hand, had been a great team all year (it’s worth noting about here that I’m a Colts fan, so any bias would probably lend itself to support the Cardinals, if I was operating like a stereotypical Colts fan), going 12-4 during the regular season.

Now, I realize that…
1.  The Steelers are constantly on TV, because they’re good nearly every year, and “familiarity breeds contempt,” as the kids say,
2.  The Steelers’ quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, made a really numskull move once upon a time by recklessly riding and crashing a motorcycle he was forbidden to ride,
3.  The Cardinals have one of the most talented and fun-to-watch players in football, wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald,
4.  The Cardinals’ quarterback, Kurt Warner, has been a sort of rags-to-riches everyman since he played for the Rams a decade ago, and
5.  The Cardinals throw the ball a lot and hope it’s enough to win (a style that is prone to creating big plays, thus fun to watch), whereas the Steelers (this year, at least) depended on their defense largely, which is not especially fun to watch for your average football fan (or even serious football fans) because, well, it results in a lot of punts.

Even still, I can’t imagine that a minor fan, someone who watches out of curiousity/attempts at cultural relevance, or your mom, who always picks winners by uniforms (of which the Steelers are much better, I think most can agree) would really process all those things and think, “for those reasons, I want the Cardinals to win.”  No, I think that we culturally favor underdogs, even when, as is the case with this game, the underdog is where they are because they are simply the inferior team.  Thus, by cheering for the underdog, we’re implicitly acknowledging that we don’t actually value one team’s track record of success, and in fact, some begrudge them their success.

Most importantly, what does this say about Americans (all westerners?) culturally?  Maybe it is simply psychologically connecting with the underdog, looking at them and saying, “we can do it too!”  But what about the opposition?  Are they not where/what we all strive to be?  I’ll admit, there are athletic teams I like to see lose, to stay within the realm of my chosen example, but often, this is because my favorite team is a rival to them and can gain an advantage by their failure, not just out of pleasure in watching the mighty fall.

Watching the underdog win when they are the underdog simply by dint of size, or media notoriety, or geographic snobbery, or randomly overlooked and cheering is understandable to me.  Same with wanting to see a giant, crushing opponents with sheer girth, fall (especially if they were always haughty to begin with).  But when it’s all a fabrication, and “cheering for the underdog” is really just “cheering for the team with less talent, poorer coaching, and less of a track record of success” over the team that has proven its worth all year, I think we need to reexamine our priorities.  Ask why.  Why are they the underdog?  Why do I hope they win?  Is that reasonable?  Personally, in the given example, I feel it’s a bit of a relief that the team that had been better all year proved it was better during the last game of the season.

 

[sorry if this is incoherent.  i feel it's applicable outside of the traditional realm of "underdog/favorite" (sports), and thus worth contemplating, at the very least because it says something about what we value.]

Filed under: Uncategorized

title

If you’re not getting your fix enough, point your browser over to the tumblelog – it’s updated nigh daily. Format-wise, it’s different from this, but probably a bit more fun.

I usually only speak up strongly and loudly about something when I have an opinion, or when I just have questions.  In the former case, I would do well to speak softly and kindly better than I currently do.

It’s not that I am unwilling to admit that I’m wrong in such cases (though I have been told I come off that way).  It’s that I wouldn’t even speak so boldly unless I had an opinion, and I’m placing the burden of proof on any opposed.  But I probably ought to be more tactful, especially when it’s with folks who could be classified “elders.”

Better to figure this out now than later, I suppose.

Filed under: Uncategorized

Minor Discouragement

Ugh.
I was just talking with one of my friends – a Bible major, who feels called to international missions – about a non-denominational missions organization that I’ve applied to for a summer job (note: they actually describe themselves as “multi-denominational” but it amounts to the same thing: they’re unaffiliated with any one church or denomination.  In our conversation, we used the term non-denominational, so I’ll use it here).
He said, “Wait, how can they be non-denominational?  I mean, how can they have NO affiliation?”
I explained that they focus on service work, etc.  He eventually conceded – “Yeah, I see that.  I just don’t understand how any long term missions organization can be unaffiliated with a denomination.”

The more I think about this conversation, the more disappointing it is.  To overgeneralize, the American church has gotten too tied up in doctrinal differences to the point that my friend cannot envision a missions organization that does not bind itself to one specific doctrine.  I understand the need for laying out doctrinal beliefs, but I also believe that there are a lot of gray areas where pretending we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we’re right seems foolish (frequency/style of communion, type of baptism, etc.).

This is not to say that I have no beliefs in those areas, only to say that when you study historic Christianity, you begin to understand the origin of such practices.  For example, sprinkle baptism became popular in areas where water was less abundant, and it would have been a poor use of resources to bathe for baptism.  Learning that enlightened me, and while most American churches have no lack of water, I now understand its origin.  You also learn that church fathers did not necessarily see eye to eye, but they would still respect and worship with one another.

What about the creeds, Nicene and Apostles‘?

Another way to think about it:  Martin Luther did not leave the Catholic church in order to start Lutheranism, he left because the church authorities would not step in to stop injustices by church members even where blatant; even where they took advantage of the uneducated and less fortunate.

I appreciate the freedom that Protestantism allows.  I understand the need for denominations and doctrinal statements and beliefs.  What saddens me is the fact that my friend cannot imagine a world without denominational distinctions, or a Christian organization that is united by a “purpose to provide life-changing, Christ-centered youth mission opportunities” and not a series of doctrinal beliefs, despite the fact that he (like me) attends a school with a similar focus on unity.

Filed under: Uncategorized , Church, college, faith, friends

tumbling

I started a tumblelog.

I realize this seems like more of the same, but it’s not. I want to try to use the tumblr to make one short post each day, and keep this site up for more long form thoughts.

Filed under: Uncategorized , blog meta commentary, blogs, tumblr

Foreshadowing

Chapel today has people talking.  I was thinking through it as I heard it, and forming my own opinions, but I’ve now spoken to or read several reactions to it and have found most felt as I did.

Sorry for the crypticism, I plan to elucidate all this in a later post.

If you’d like to hear this morning’s chapel, go here.  Today’s speaker was Ted Kluck.

You might also want to listen to the January 19th message from Bryan Loritts on MLK day, which I recommended previously, first of all, because it’s good, and secondly, because Bryant brought it up as a contrasting message to Kluck’s.

Once you’ve sorted this all out, please read Josiah’s take.

EDIT/UPDATE: Anne on Kluck.  Twice.

Filed under: Uncategorized , chapel, Church, college, friends, spring 2009

to Tide us over

I feel like I’ve had an excess of bloggable thoughts over the past (any length of time) and have not had the time and/or motivation and/or mindset to post.
That’s okay, I guess. I usually write down the idea somewhere (recently in my fancy new pocket sized Moleskine notebooks from Amanda ). But after awhile, I don’t have such intense feelings about whatever it is I wrote in that notebook, and feel less inclined to blog about it.
Those thoughts will make it here eventually. Hopefully this ridiculously cute photo of Amanda and I will tide you over (thanks to Amanda for the picture):

We took this at school on Amanda's last day in the states before leaving for the semester

Filed under: Uncategorized , Amanda, blogging, procrastination, spring 2009

Real Life Superheroes?!

Um, apparently there are real life superheroes.

I know this because Wyatt alerted me to this Rolling Stone article, which pointed me to this website.

Are you kidding me?

Filed under: Uncategorized , Real Life Superheroes, Rolling Stone

2008 Audio Favorites

First things first: Josiah already has a nice list, and I share some of his feelings expressed in the first paragraph – I don’t hear enough albums to say, “these are unequivocally the best albums released this year.”  However, I do listen to quite a bit, although not everything I loved this year came from 2008.  The best example is that I finally came around on Arcade Fire (I realize that took forever), specifically their debut, “Funeral”.  Anyway, my list will reflect that just a little.  I’ve divided it into segments, and cheated a little by not numbering it.  There are a lot of albums from this year that I still want to hear – Fleet Foxes “Sun Giant EP”, Duffy “Rockferry”, Cool Kids “The Bake Sale”, and many more.  I’d be more confident if I’d heard those, but oh well, here’s the list:

Just Missed
This category is basically albums that I’ve heard songs from, or even the whole album, but not frequently enough to put it on the master list.

• She & Him – “Volume 1″ (I like “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here” a lot)
• MGMT – “Oracular Spectacular” (“Time to Pretend”; “Electric Feel”)
• Death Cab for Cutie – “Narrow Stairs” (“No Sunlight”; “Cath…”; plus their previous work is great)
• The Last Shadow Puppets – “The Age of the Understatement”
• Los Campesinos! – “We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed”
• Tokyo Police Club – “Elephant Shell” (“In A Cave”; “Juno”)

2007 Releases that for one reason or another have a place on this list

• Bon Iver – “For Emma, Forever Ago”
  If you want to hear the backstory, look elsewhere (it’s pretty much everywhere anyone has ever written about this band).  Justin Vernon’s voice is very expressive, which means this album is very emotional.  I wonder if it had been recorded traditionally if it would have the same gravity, but that’s beside the point.  This is a beautiful, soul-bearing folk record.  “Skinny Love” is one of the best tracks of the year.  It didn’t make the main list because it was self-released in 2007, then saw wider distribution this year.  It’s still wonderful.
• Radiohead – “In Rainbows”
  A couple of songs off this album made my fav songs of ‘07, but I didn’t do a “fav albums” post last year.  Like Bon Iver, Radiohead self-released “In Rainbows” in ‘07 with their “It’s Up to You” pricing scheme, but it saw a physical release on 1.1.08, so it (sort of) qualifies.
• The National – “Boxer”
  My friend Matt was all over this last year, and he wasn’t alone.  I finally got it (courtesy of eMusic) this year, and he’s right – it’s great.  “Fake Empire”, perhaps its best song, seems much bigger than it is, and has hypnotizing polyrhythmic piano, while “Mistaken for Strangers” is a rollicking rocker.

2008 favorites (for real) in alphabetical order

• Coldplay – “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends”/”Prospekt’s March” EP
  Easily Coldplay’s best album, plus a solid EP?  They had a good year.  It’s possible that this album is underrated, actually (no kidding): “Lost!”, “Lovers in Japan”, “Viva La Vida” and “Violet Hill” are some of the best songs of 2008, plus album closer “Death and All His Friends” is breathtaking, and the EP has “Prospekt’s March/Poppyfields”, another great song.  Coldplay is one of the biggest bands in the world thanks to fantastic singles and great melodies, among other reasons, and some of their best happened this year.
• Conor Oberst – self-titled
  Bright Eyes frontman Oberst released an album under his real name this year, and it was pretty much exactly what you’d expect from a singer/songwriter’s self-titled “recorded on sort-of vacation in Mexico” album.  To be honest, I’ve never owned a Bright Eyes album, but Oberst really has a way with melodies and is a great songwriter.
• Fleet Foxes – self-titled
  Maybe my favorite album this year.  It’s really warm, folky, and sort of timeless.  The harmonies are insanely beautiful – everyone in this band can sing really well.  “White Winter Hymnal” is probably my favorite song of the year, and one of my favorite songs, period.  This is probably the album  on this list I would tell someone they must hear.
• Gentleman Jesse – Introducing Gentleman Jesse
  note: the band name and album title sometimes have “& his Men” tagged onto them.
  Anyway, this is a really great, ragged, throwback guitar pop album.  The recording is sort of slapdash, but it’s supposed to be.  This is really a fun record, full of singalong choruses, melodic guitar solos, and catchy hooks.
• Los Campesinos! – “Hold On Now, Youngster…”
  One of the most energetic albums I’ve ever heard.  LC! sounds really unique, and youthfully exuberant.  This is pretty much an indie pop guitar album, but that sells it short: the instrumentation takes some chances (i.e. glockenspiel) and the vocals are energetic, almost shouty.
• Santogold – self-titled
  Album opener “L.E.S. Artistes” is another of my favorite songs of the year.  In sections, this album sounds like the last 30 years of punk, new wave, underground pop, and indie rock in a blender (in the best way).  Santi White has a pretty distinct voice – the best way I can describe it is probably “yelpy” but that sounds bad.  You’ve probably heard a couple of these songs on commercials, by the way.
• Sigur Ros – “Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust”
  The songs are shorter and feature less orchestral growth and resolution, but this is still unmistakeably Sigur Ros.  This is probably my least favorite of their albums among the ones I’ve heard, but it’s still among the year’s best.
• Vampire Weekend – self-titled
  Get past the Ivy League backstory and Ralph Lauren sweaters and these guys are just making great pop songs with varied instrumentation and influence.  “A-punk” is one of my favorite songs this year.

Filed under: Uncategorized , 2008, Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, Coldplay, Conor Oberst, Cool Kids, Death Cab for Cutie, Duffy, Fleet Foxes, Gentleman Jesse, Los Campesinos!, MGMT, Music, Radiohead, Santogold, She & Him, Sigur Ros, The Last Shadow Puppets, The National, Tokyo Police Club, Vampire Weekend