Paul Johnson... for a short while

March 17, 2006

Walk the Line - a review

Wednesday night I had the opportunity to see the much lauded Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Whitherspoon in “Walk the Line”. Not only had this movie received much critical and popular applause but several good friends had highly recommended it as one to buy. Needless to say I had high expectations.

I won’t spend time on the details. It would take more effort then what it would be worth. So, in short I was disappointed in and depressed by the movie. It focuses on Johnny Cash’s drug use and lifelong fixation with a woman that was not his wife.

The movie was a little slow in sections as Johnny’s drug use drags on and on. I think that we are supposed to identify with Cash as he feel’s like he can never get his father’s approval, can’t seem to get the woman that loves him to love him back and can’t seem to shake the feeling that he is “the bad son”. It didn’t resonate with me rather it just made me feel sorry for a man believing lies and chasing after them.

On the plus side, owning Johnny’s “Live at Folsom Prison” gave me the inside track on references and background that I wouldn’t have picked up on. I also enjoyed the song writing scenes early workings of young Cash with his band.

All in all I couldn’t say that I regretted watching the movie but it did leave me yearning for light in such a hopeless and dark life.

Posted by paul at 12:11 PM | Comments (3)

April 11, 2005

Digital Prints

So anybody know the best place to get digital pictures developed?
Surfing online has brought me the regular places: (all sized at 4x6)
Walmart $0.17
Target $0.25
Walgreens $0.29
And some others:
Kodakgallery.com $0.25
Shutterfly.com $0.19-0.25 (whatever that means)
and finally:
photocheap.biz at an amazing advertized $0.108
(though it is with a prepaid plan. regular prints are $0.14)

So it seems as if Walmart wins again. But are their pics the best quality? I need some experience here from you who have owned and printed from a digicam.

Posted by paul at 10:29 AM | Comments (4)

December 18, 2004

The cards are in

Well, my cribbage team might have come on a little strong during its first showing. After practicing for months in seclusion we swept the evening leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that we had played before. We might have even talked a little trash letting others in on the fact that we’d been rehearsing. Of course now that I think about it the cribbage that we play runs a little differently then the cribbage played tonight.

You see, Christie and I play a couple of times a week against each other. It’s a great two-person game that takes maybe fifteen or twenty minutes tops so it fits nicely between our other scheduled obligations. There is a big difference between two-handed and six-handed cribbage. I won’t bore you with details but lets just say that “pegging” can turn a mediocre or poor hand into a decent one real quick if you play heads up.

So, yes, tonight Christie and I debuted as a team and I was excited to see how our new skills matched the rest of the field. Now at this point we must take into account that I was playing after Nick who was playing his first game ever and Christie was playing after Wagner who as most of you know was busy with any thing other then the game as usual. Therefore this gave us a distinct “pegging” advantage. In truth however this did not lead to the overwhelming “pegging” but must be considered. To sum up we won both games but only the second game was by a significant margin and also with the “triple-run-pegging” rule rescinded.

This all serves to belay the possibility that groups will refuse to engage us in friendly competition in the future.

Drat, should’ve laid low.

Posted by paul at 12:37 AM | Comments (3)

November 16, 2004

Commenters Ahoy!

So it sure is interesting the small percentage of my readers who actually comment on my posts. I feel like there is approximately 25 people who read my blog on a semi-regular basis. And the average response that I have to a post is... well it's way way below that...

I did get a huge moral boost today though, my Dad commented!
Check out the sage advice from the original Johnson!

Posted by paul at 10:15 AM | Comments (3)

November 15, 2004

Sure I can play guitar

For years I have been ridiculed for the oral gyrations that careen across my countenance when I play a complicated guitar riff. I curl, purse and pucker my lips unknowingly as I “play some pretty hot lixx”. When laughed at and mocked I have tried to pass it off and try to convince my disdainers that it is merely my stage presence or an act to entertain. But in fact I am unable to resist, unable to hold still those quivering show stealers. Well ladies and gents I am not alone in this singular trait. In fact I should be calling this supposed embarrassment my claim to greatness. For not only does the veritable Pat Blair engage in such interesting leaping lips but so does the late great Stevie Ray Vaughn and blue’s elder statesman Eric Clapton. And if it’s good enough for them its good enough for me!

“…and the dragon comes in the NIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiGH!”

Posted by paul at 07:59 PM | Comments (2)

October 29, 2004

OK OK the answer

I spent over an hour at the hospital today so that they would refer me to a new oncologist. Then I had to sign my life away so that they would send my medical records down here from Minneapolis. I love healthcare in our world. From what I hear it's way better here then anywhere else. Well, except while I was waiting...
A guy came into the clinic saying that he had just been in a car accident and he wanted someone to "check him out". The lady at the frount desk took his name and then told him that if he didn't pay $231.24 that they couldn't see him. He turned disgustedly and walked out as she told him to go to hte emergency room "if he was really hurtin'".

I must admit that I really don't like hospitals... and I've been in a lot of them.

Oh right...

I left a big clue out there that no one seemed to get. I said:
"If you count backwards from three you'll find the man behind the curtain."
The idea was that you would go bakc over the last three entries to "Soulmate or Checkmate" (the one that no one commented on) in the extended entry I added: "You know all three of these characters and you know the 'apartment' where they live."

Getting anywhere...?

I wrote the three entries about myself. Each one lives somewhere inside my head (the apartment building) and cotributes to who I am. I tried to break down who I was into more basic components and this is where I ended up.

It started with the Jester (orginally titled the Entertainer but to avoid any confusion with a certian piano piece, movies or anything I changed it). I see this attention grabbing spotlight loving persona that emerges now and then. It's truely odd because I am an introvert that usually enjoys the company of a few to a multitude.

Then came the Driven and the Passionate more reactions to the isolation of the Jester then of anything else.

Anyway that's the short version...
Is everything clear? Still don't get it?

Right and thanks to the 134 people who commented on the last post. Only 10 of you made it (so far) to the public but hey there is always next time. If you want to actually get on this site try not advertising debt relief, online casino's, or diet patches then you might have a better chance... :)

Posted by paul at 07:20 PM | Comments (1)

October 12, 2004

Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore!

Work. I feel like I work 14 hour days 6 days a week. I know its not true but it feels that way.

I want to break, I want to break my, I want to break my rusty cage... and run.

Posted by paul at 03:23 PM | Comments (3)

October 02, 2004

Orlando

I am leaving for the airport at 5am tomorrow to hitch a ride to sunny/hurricanny Orlando, FL. Please pray for my journey, that God would refresh my heart through the support raising follow up conferance, and he would hasten my return.

I will only be in Orlando about 30 or so odd hours but that is still the longest continuous time that I have been away from my beautiful wife.

You can pray for her as well.

Sing with me now...
"I'm leaving on a jet plane, know exactly how many minutes till I'll be back again. Oh, baby, I hate to go..."

Posted by paul at 08:41 PM | Comments (1)

September 30, 2004

Too Much Ketchup?

I sit here enjoying a sumptuous hotdog slathered in mustard and of course the omnipresence of ketchup. Please note that it is currently 9:12 am.

I feel almost collegiate again.

Being awake since 5:35 has its advantages. One of those being that you can take lunch early. Then have a second lunch later. Because we all know that life revolves around food and when you are going to get it next.

Since near the beginning of time our lives and focused on the need to consume mass quantities. We are inundated with commercials and advertisements calling are attention to the fact that we haven’t ingested anything opulent in the last three point seven four eight minutes or seconds whatever the case may be. Compounded with the constant and ample supply of foodstuff we not surprisingly find a trend towards obesity.

I have never counted but I wonder what the ratio is between sex themed commercials and food themed commercials. While we are at the level of comparison it is also interesting how they portray sex to be as much of a daily need as they do consumption of necessary carbohydrates (take that Atkins) and proteins.

Our pop culture always feeds us such a load. Pun intended. I think I’ll write a poem about food.

Posted by paul at 07:10 PM | Comments (5)

September 27, 2004

Please Don't Forget

Conflicting emotions plagued my weekend. I watched my Grandfather kiss a strange woman after being pronounced man and wife just a short seven months after my Grandmothers death. I am sure that this brings no comparison with having a parent remarry soon after a death or divorce. For me though it was an otherworldly sight.

For twenty-four years I witnessed the love and relationship of my grandparents. They were inseparable so much so that one without the other seemed completely unnatural. In my mind they were one more than words can describe. After some fifty-seven years of marriage the lines that separated these two wonderful individuals had dimmed to a barely perceptible physical separation. Last February that hairline fracture was forever ruptured as my sweet Grandmother took her leave of this earth and was made perfect in the blink of an eye. I miss her smile, the smell of her cooking the thanksgiving turkey, and her soft warm hugs.

Now the remaining half cannot continue. The whole of his identity has changed. I was happy with him as he expressed his love and devotion to his new bride. But my mental image of him has not yet caught up with this new reality and I struggle with the emotional complexity.

So congratulations Jim, I pray that God gives you many more blessed years, but please don’t forget. Don’t forget the joy, the love, and the years. Don’t forget your daughters and don’t forget to realize that they lost their mother.

Posted by paul at 09:47 PM | Comments (3)

September 24, 2004

U2 - Vertigo (new single)

"Vertigo"

Unos, dos, tres, catorce
Turn it up loud, captain

Lights go down
It's dark, the jungle is
Your head can't rule your heart
I'm feeling so much stronger
Than I thought
Your eyes are wide
And though your soul
It can't be bought
Your mind can wander

Hello, hello
Hola
I'm at a place called Vertigo
Dond' esta
It's everything I wish I didn't know
Except you give me something I can feel
Feel

The night is full of holes
These bullets rip the sky
Of ink with gold
They twinkle
As the boys play rock and roll
They know that they can't dance
At least they know

I can sell the beats
I'm asking for the check
Girl with crimson nails
Has Jesus 'round her neck
Swinging to the music
Swinging to the music

Hello, hello
Hola
I'm at a place called Vertigo
Dond' esta
It's everything I wish I didn't know
But you give me something I can feel
Feel

Shot dead
Shots fall
Show me, yeah

All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
Just give me what I want
And no one gets hurt

Hello, hello
Hola
We’re at a place called Vertigo
Dond' esta
Lights go down and all I know
Is that you give me something
I can feel your love teaching me how
Your love is teaching me how
How to kneel
Kneel

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
_____________________________________________
Very cool track. Very rock and roll. Its the one that everyone is talking about. Should be a smash hit. You heard it here first folks.

Courtesy of atu2.com

Posted by paul at 02:34 PM | Comments (4)

September 22, 2004

Who Was That Masked Man?

The craving to create, the drive to generate, the yearning to give the world something and have them sit back and say “yeah, that’s good.” The approval of man.

Is that what it comes back to?

At times I literally itch to create something. That’s why I run down stairs and pound the out of tune piano, why I become engrossed with a scrap of paper that brings an imaginary figure to life, why I leave a colossal mess in the kitchen trying to artistically cook, and why I write.

As long as I can remember I have been drawing, playing music, making up stories and mud pies. Usually the creative process culminated in the display of my “art”. At heart I’m a show off. So then what does God want for me?

I’m trying not to get to introspective here. I get really tired of completely introspective blogs. You’re not the center of the universe. I am.

I have been reading the biography of George Whitefield the great English revivalist of the 18th century. They say that George preached over 30,000 sermons in his short lifetime. He was overdramatic and extremely loud. He was a show off.

At the same time I have been listening to some Mark Darling tapes. I would have to say they have a similar personality.

Now I have a bad habit of thinking that I can do anything. (See this post.) But I am just trying to figure myself out here. What has God built me for? Jack of all trades master of none. I know, I know follow Gods general plan for your life and he will reveal his more specific plan in due time. “Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand and he will lift you up in due time.” But… I want to know… now.

Posted by paul at 09:47 PM | Comments (3)

August 31, 2004

Plenipotentiary

And hows that for a dictionary word? I was trying to remind myself what I blog for the other day when I spent some time on what I thought was a fun entry and only faithful Matt commented.

Anyway I started this blog almost 14 months ago and a lot has changed since then... but I also look back and very little has changed. I look back on what I spent the first month posting about and its pretty similar to what I have spent the last month posting about: funny stories from my life, poetry/prose, songs, Christie (then my girlfriend now my wife), issues of faith, and biblical ponderings.

The problem is that more often then not (I’d have to say most all the time) my writing doesn’t seem to elicit the response that I am expecting. I expect a veritable explosion, a volley per say of rhetoric and persuasive language contending over vital social issues and matters of the heart. In short I expect knee jerk reactions that people couldn’t help but add to the fray. Instead I get silence. Now I have come to expect far less and am amused and even delighted when one happy soul composes a brief thought and has the compassion to take the time and enter it into that little comment box.

Originally I titled this blog Synthesis because I wanted people to come together here in an effort to create something new. Recently I changed the name to Paul Johnson… …for a short while in an effort to re-describe the effect that I was and was not getting. This blog will most likely never attain the controversial status that I had hoped but it will remain a place for me to ply my intellectual wares, loosen the personal writings that haunt my mind, and receive for it a small pittance; those precious comments a diminutive indicator that my efforts have not gone unnoticed. Thank you.

Posted by paul at 05:42 PM | Comments (11)

August 27, 2004

The Johnson Supremacy

One of the reasons that I liked the movie The Bourne Supremacy (and the first movie) was that throughout the film the main character was always grabbing maps and charts of the city that he was in or the building that he was being chased around. This just seems to add an element of believability or realism to a wild story.

It also suggests that I could do the things that Jason Bourne does even though I lack a good sense of direction. This feeling that “I could do that” is vital to drag me into an action movie.

I want the movie to make me feel like I can learn Kung Foo in a matter of seconds and then fly through the air moving faster then anyone has ever seen, or rally an army of my countrymen to “not trade all the days from this day ‘til that to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives but they will never take our FREEDOM!” or to drive really fast on the opposite side of the road swerving to avoid the inevitable oncoming traffic while shooting with deadly aim at the also inevitable superhuman cops on cool BMW motorcycles that come blaring off of side streets and almost land on top of my car.

I like to think that I have the courage, the intelligence, and the physical aptitude to at least be trained to live the life of an action movie star like Neo, William Wallace or Jason Bourne.

Man that would be just plain cool.

Actually I feel a little like that right now, sitting at a computer in the basement of the University of Wisconsin. I “hacked” (using my woman partner’s information) into computer “LAB-OL1108-40” in the middle of the lab where no surveillance cameras can see me.

I checked a map so that later I can take my borrowed truck disguised with trailer on a careening chase across the metropolis to pick up some goods. I need to do this all before a certain time so that I can meet my female agent partner to deliver the goods as she is working undercover.

Yeah, that makes me feel like an action movie star. Even though I didn’t really hack in, am in full view of all cameras, I did borrow the truck but its slow, I am going to McDonalds a mile away to get lunch for my wife who has to sit through a student teaching seminar and meet her back outside the auditorium.

Yeah… action hero… ahh…that’s me… I can feel it.

Man I could just tear someone apart if they attacked me right now.

All that stuff makes me feel cool.

That and I just had to shoot the computer lab aid with the silenced 9mm that I took from the unconscious security guard, all because he was about to press the big red alarm button behind his desk.
Ok. Not really. But I’m still cool…

Yeah. Action. Cool. Leather Jacket. Sweet Shades.

I can almost hear the theme music…

do-do-bap-bap-bababa-tititctctc-dadaDADA….

Posted by paul at 09:14 AM | Comments (5)

August 26, 2004

What? You didn't know?

Just in case you were wondering what I do in my time off...

I am running for congress on the Democratic ticket.

I also am involved with weird techno-art stuff.

When I am not doing that I teach Economics at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

And I am a surf guitar legend.

Just in case you were wondering...

Posted by paul at 11:25 AM | Comments (2)

August 25, 2004

Misconception and Music

Sometimes my musical prejudice gets the best of me and I overlook an artist or band that is really good but somehow gets lumped into the category’s “cheesy”, “bland” or “just plain terrible”. Most of the time I am right but every now and then I have to go back and admit that they do produce quality music.

This is true of Christian Folk/Rock group Caedmon’s Call.
I know some of you are probably saying “what? I thought they were cheesy, bland, and or just plain terrible” And this is the very sentiment that I have conveyed for the last 7 years. But I have come to confess my faults. I am overly critical. Let me tell the story.

Caedmon’s self-titled album was released in 1997 was a huge hit with the college crowd. I heard it and liked several of the songs on the album for their emotion and good writing. But I was a punk kid and hated everything, especially everything that was mainstream or corporate and that was how I saw Caedmon’s. After that they dropped into my “doesn’t matter” category and stayed there.

Next 40 Acres came out in 1999 and guess what I got for Christmas, yep Caedmon’s exciting new album that sounded a little country sometimes. I instantly distanced myself from it and dropped it into the back of my collection. I had a reputation to uphold and wouldn’t be caught listening to anything remotely country. Every now and then the album would peek out and I would give it a listen. It grew on me. But it was still labeled “doesn’t matter”.

In late 2003 I started courting this girl and yadda yadda yadda you know the story. Well she had the latest album by you guessed it Caedmon’s Call titled Back Home. I shuddered and protested. But eventually it wound up in the CD player every now and then because… well she’s a girl and persuasive and… oh never mind. I was still dismissing the band. But now that we are married and the CD is in my house I have listened to it several more times and it really is a decent album. It can get overdramatic in places and maybe a little overly poetic but really it’s a solid musical and lyric piece of work plus it's catchy. I would recommend it.

I guess the turning point was when I ripped the CD and put in on my hard drive so that I could listen to it more often. Man, I still feel a little shameful about that but well I guess I need to stand up for what I believe in and I believe in Caedmon’s Call.

P.S. Sorry that I have to authenticate all comments. (Even my own) But I get so much blog-spam that it really is the most time effective way to keep my site clean of filth. Please be patient and comment anyway. Thanks, Paul

Posted by paul at 05:17 PM | Comments (1)

August 19, 2004

Life is a roller coaster

It sure is fun but sometimes it makes you want to puke.

Its good when God teaches you things.

Prov 17:10

Posted by paul at 11:32 AM | Comments (1)

August 18, 2004

A ball that is soft

So I got to play softball yesterday with close to 20 others. It was a lot of fun! But I had a couple of realizations...

Number One.
I am still competitive. When people make blatant errors or worse yet don't try that bothers me. Why? Because I like to win and I want my team to do its best. And I want to face a good apponent that makes my win look good. Of course when someone else starts screaming about a call being unfair then I sit back and mumble to myself: "Gees, settle down... its just a game."

Number Two.
I am 24 years old and certainly not in prime physical condition. Someone remarked within the hearing of my wife (on the sidelines) that "Isn't this fun.. the old people are playing with us." Probably in reference myself, Matt and Pat who all being in near a quarter centurey seem old and outdated by the average age of the other players, that being probably 20. That and I am actually sore today from it. Of course I spent a good twenty minutes running the bases and then batting repeatedly... but still.

Anyway it really fun. So much so that I think I will play again this afternoon.

Posted by paul at 01:38 PM | Comments (6)

August 14, 2004

August 14th

Posted by paul at 09:46 PM | Comments (4)

August 05, 2004

Food

Yesterday I had some good food.

For breakfast I had Hashbrowns sausage and homemade fresh blueberry pancakes with coffee and orange juice.

For lunch I had little potatos and green beans fresh from the famers market with garlic butter chicken and real milk (2%).

For dinner I had Macaroni and Cheese (Kraft, only the best) with two corn dogs and about 10 mozzerella cheese sticks.

All great meals but all very different.

Vote for your favorite. Make sure to justify your choice and outline your criteria.

Wait for the big Friday the 13th post!

Posted by paul at 11:55 AM | Comments (5)

July 16, 2004

eh... its ok

So with the major theme of blogs lately being "I love this" or "hate that or these things" I thought maybe I would list eleven of the things that I am really rather ambivalent towards:

1. The color red. I mean its alright there is nothing wrong with good ol' red. Its not great but hey its solid.

2. Bananas. I know Heather hates them but she has a complex. They are good but I don't think that I have ever gone "Man what I really have a hankering for is a big banana."

3. Pickup Trucks. Tony just got his fixed so congrads but really they have their drawbacks as far as seating capacity. Sure they can haul stuff so that makes them all right. They're fine.

4. The number 27. Its a good number, not a great number but a good number. It easy to use when you need a random number of things but rather awkward to use when multiplying or adding. I dunno. It alright.

6. Mowing the lawn. Not incredibly fun but not bad as far as getting out of the house and getting some exercise. I'd give it a 4 out of 10.

7. The whole 40 days of Purpose book. It was a decent all around good book. I found it to be insightful but not amazingly so. I would recomend it, but not to anyone and everyone. Sure I know that God has used it and its a pretty good book.

8. The movie Paycheck and the movie Chain Reaction. Pretty similar movies actually when you think about Ben Affleck’s and Keanu Reeve's acting being at pretty much the same level. Average plot. Interesting technologies. Not much crap at all.

9. And that’s about it
for now

okay satisfactory acceptable suitable reasonable agreeable

Posted by paul at 11:37 PM | Comments (5)

July 14, 2004

Anything but Idle

So does anyone know how to adjust the idle on my 94 olds cutlass cierra?

I am trying to become a do-it-your-selfer but haven't gotten up the ambition to buy a chiltons manuel.

If I can't find it online then I am in trouble...

It was pretty funny when I was changing my spark plugs with Matt helping me... We pulled off the ignition coils first... nope no spark plugs under there. :) We took it over to our neighbor Tony he didn't know what it was either... so then we called an auto parts store. They gave us the scope. My olds has a distributeless ignition so the plugs are buried on either side of the engine. A couple hours and about 9 spark plugs later I got them in. Probably saved myself a couple hundred bucks but the lack of skin on my knuckles showed the true price I paid. Chock one up for experience. It was fun.

Ok off to change my oil.

Posted by paul at 11:22 PM | Comments (9)

July 07, 2004

Peter Pan Can’t Say Goodbye

After watching the latest remake in the Peter Pan story I was struck by how he left. To him it wasn’t a goodbye. He didn’t understand time’s effect.

For a movie marketed for children from the ages of maybe 5 to 12 (note matt and I both really liked it) it delved fairly deeply into the how a child feels verses an adult. Wendy asks Peter what he feels and his reply is jealousy and anger or hate (if I remember correctly). The one emotion that he does not know is love. I guess I am still processing.

One interesting thing that I read when searching for quotes from the movie is that Mr. Darling (the children’s father) is played by the same actor as Captain Hook.

Posted by paul at 11:59 PM | Comments (8)

July 02, 2004

Morning-Blog

I know I have blogged about the morning before. Ok several times before. I guess I just feel very bloggish in the morning. The creative juices are flowing and so is the coffee.

This morning was a perfect morning for eggs over-medium, hashbrowns, tart grape juice, and a cup of rich black coffee at the Johnson family cafe. The quiet company of my beautiful wife and Miles on the radio made it bliss.

I could live like this. Content.

Posted by paul at 10:13 AM | Comments (2)

June 27, 2004

Blog-Spam Central

So I am still fighting off the blog-spammers. They come in here and post comments about dirty websites and unatural medical procedures. So, I sincerily apologize for anything that you might come across while browsing, especially in the archives since I don't usually check their comments.

Posted by paul at 05:01 PM | Comments (2)

June 26, 2004

Ploy

Here is my latest greatest idea for engaging my audience: Normality. .. . ...

.

....

.

.

..
I know pretty deep huh?
Everyone thinks that they are abnormal. Except a roommate that I had once that considered himself the axis of normality (good band name) anyway he was weird.
.........................................But the theory is that if everyone thinks that they are abnormal then there is really no “normal”. Normal just becomes this nebulous standard out there by which to put others done by.
..............................
“Wow, you’re weird.” Well, aren’t we all? If everyone is uniquely created then how can I say that my unusually large head and long torso that makes me look like a four foot twenty seven inch overgrown dwarf is “weird”.

So let’s pitch this ridiculous standard of .........normalcy and return to abnormal life.

Posted by paul at 11:30 PM | Comments (2)

June 25, 2004

The Things that Dreams are Made of

I made a not so surprising discovery this afternoon when discussing dreams with my dear wife. (Strange, I haven’t really mentioned my wife yet on this blog since the marriage. So, BTW my wife is wonderful and I love her.)

I was recounting a lengthy dream that I “received” the night before. No it wasn’t anything prophetic or even remotely special. In fact it was a dream about attempting to trade my cell phone in for a new one. But, anyway, it hit me that as to why dreams can seem so long but when you try and explain the events of the dream I at least always find myself disappointed and unable to explain the crux of the experience, which is always the very real quality that the dream takes on.

Dreams (for me and I assume that they are this way for everyone) are an espresso shot of emotion and as a man I am almost always confused by any and all emotion that I have. Dreams are an emotion wrapped up in a vivid picture. I think that the reason why the experience seems to last so long is that emotionally you are experiencing time. So that when I am attempting to convey the dream to someone all I am able to do is communicate the events of the dream which in themselves are benign of the intense feeling and context if you will in which they were originally “composed”.

Anyway that is all I have for now on Dream Theory. I really don’t know what anyone important would say on the subject. For that ask the Psychology Major Mat.

Posted by paul at 10:57 PM | Comments (0)

June 18, 2004

Cool/Damp

So after reading in Daniel this morning I was in a very Sigur Ros mood. Their soothing dissonance always sparks my imagination.

So to find their music I turn to the web and what do I find? Well, first I watch a video of theirs that features happy children and strange but rather cool cinematography. But then the video switches over and focuses on some people running around in gas masks so that kinda weirded me out.

Then I found an appearance that they made on the Craig Kilborn show. They are a bunch of emo looking kids. I guess that wasn’t too much of a surprise. But then the lead singer/guitarist pulls a Jimmy Page and picks up a violin bow and gentle makes his guitar hum. I must admit that after I got over the cheesiness that it did sound cool.

Anyway that’s my Sigur-morning.

Posted by paul at 10:40 AM | Comments (6)

May 21, 2004

Abducted by Aliens

I have been taken away to the mother ship!!! That is my only explaination for being gone so long.

That or I got back from the black hills and the bad lands only to leave the next day for my Grandma's memorial service is Duluth. I got back from that last night and have been scrambling to put my life together before I leave again on Monday for Eau Claire. I will be there untill my wedding a week from Saturday!!! Then I am off to my mystery Honeymoon destination that I can't tell any of you about... :)

Another excuse is that I haven't had internet access for over a week.

Anyway, Lou, give it up man, you can't change the world all by yourself.

Posted by paul at 11:22 AM | Comments (2)

May 13, 2004

Take to the hills

I am off to the Black Hills of S.D.! The old crew of Dan Bovenmyer, Nathan Meyer, Ben Lennander, Josh Cramer and I will be driving off into the sunset tonight!

It will be really good to be with those men again. After all these years apart we can once again join forces for good and for awsome.

Funny thing is that last time we were all together (we made a historic pilgrimage to Canada) Josh was the only one of us married.

This time I am the only one not married.

But not for long!!!!!
(384 hours

Posted by paul at 12:29 PM | Comments (6)

May 11, 2004

Moving too...

So Matt and Nancy and Russ have both posted about moving and I guess it's that time of year again.

I have spent the last two days painting smoke gray walls and ceilings a brilliant off white. And a food splattered kitchen an odious green.

It has been good to give the brain a rest after a good 18 years of hard work in the class room.

Posted by paul at 09:34 AM | Comments (4)

May 06, 2004

The Secret is out!

Amber Ruppert has a passion for Styx and dramatically lip-syncs to their smash hit “Come Sail Away” in her dorm room when she thinks that no one is watching!

But on a routine wander through the upper halls of Friley I found her out!

Posted by paul at 11:59 PM | Comments (10)

May 05, 2004

Feasting

So I was thinking of making a general invitation to my wedding here on my blog.

Because it’s a holiday weekend and because it’s in Eau Claire, WI (on May 29th) out of over 500 that we have invited some people have told us they can’t make it.

There are also some out there who have simply not replied at all.

So we do have extra seats.

I am thinking of posting their names on this site so that they may be public berated.

Anyways because of the publicity of this blog and the fact that it was formerly the #1 site for news and information on Christie Gibson (I have fallen out of favor with google) I cannot invite you via this outlet.

If you would like to come simply send me an email and I will get you specifics.

This does remind me of a certain biblical passage:

Matthew 22

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.
4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'
5"But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.
8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.
13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."

© Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Posted by paul at 12:00 AM | Comments (2)

May 04, 2004

Trailers and Reviews

I like watching movies. Because of this I watch a lot of trailers. I know that I have posted on this before but I want to underline its importance. Watching trailers and reading reviews has not led me wrong on a movie in probably the last five years. I end up being informed when I go to rent a movie and simply end up using my time and money better.

Posted by paul at 11:49 PM | Comments (1)

May 01, 2004

Alone in the Crowd

It was perfect last night to leave the throng milling around the foosball table, the different games and the succulent piles of snax's, go into the blue-lit auditorium and sit there at the foot of the stage with Jimmy Eat World blaring all around me.

From my vantage point I could see through the open doors into the bright and cheery atrium to the buzzing minglers. I had no desire for their mostly hollow conversation; instead I took solace in my solitude, my nacho's, my vanilla coke, and my melancholy spirit.

------------ Later ---------------

The band did well and crafting an experience. I think that the effort put into scripting and transition paid off. No critic just praise. Often times we ask people to get together in small groups and pray. I wonder if people would respond well to asking them to get together in small groups and worship...

In other news I like the name Lee. I have heard that one-syllable names work well with multi-syllabic last names.

Posted by paul at 10:26 AM | Comments (9)

April 30, 2004

Style

One thing that makes no logical sense for me is the whole fashion industry. Now that I have all grabbed you with that opener I intend to digress.

Last night I went with a friend from class out to see "The Passion..." (now your confused) Unfortunately our movie had left the theater the night before. My friend suggested that we see "Kill Bill Vol. 2" (don't go to the official movie website it has spoilers on it). Having read the reviews on Screenit.com I was confident that there wasn't nudity and other related stuff. I probably wouldn't have spent money on it but my friend wanted to go.

Anyway, I really can't recommend the movie because of crass language and gore (not nearly as much as the first installment of Kill Bill as my companion informed me) but it was an incredibly stylish bit of storytelling. I really think that Tarantino (writer/director) is one of those people that the Apostle Paul would have quoted in relating to the present culture.

But this brings me back to the fashion industry. How does Tarantino know how to make something so cool, so stylish, so sheik if you will? Where does ones sense of style come from?

I consider myself to be a fairly style conscious man. I don't go out of my way to pick up the latest clothing trends, but I think that I can look pretty decent on a low budget. I am amazed how a designer (or whatever they are) can produce a movie or redesign a shirt from the sixties and trigger my mind to say “wow that’s really cool.”

I understand that most humans have an inborn sense of ascetics as they do pitch, rhyme and meter. I guess that it’s just art.

Posted by paul at 11:57 AM | Comments (5)

April 28, 2004

Dust Eve

The outdoors is calling me.

After a day going here and there with so much to do I think I will walk and set my mind on higher things.

Walking and the outdoors puts my mind at easy.

How do you relax?

PS and don't say you watch the soaps.

Posted by paul at 08:05 PM | Comments (12)

April 27, 2004

Hoarder

When I was young I hoarded my Halloween candy. I kept it in a bag in my closet and ate it slowly... for months. I also hoarded my money not wishing to waste it on frivolous candies and other expendable goods I went for the big prizes and bought a tent, fishing pole and sleeping bag by about the age of 10.

I like to keep things... all to myself. I like to have them, to possess them.

Maybe I am weird but I am a hoarder.

Posted by paul at 11:35 AM | Comments (4)

April 26, 2004

I'm coming...

Traveling is fun. I like seeing new places and trying new things. But there is just something amazing about home.

Comfort. Love. Peace. Assurance. Constants.

These are things that transform a house into a home. I can tell when I enter a house whether it is a home or not. It is dependant on the people there. Without the people that make the home it becomes just a house, a building.

DL Moody's book on Heaven talks similarly about our final destination and how it is defined by who lives there.

Posted by paul at 11:44 PM | Comments (0)

April 20, 2004

Hazy

It has been a really introspective melancholy day.

I have just wanted to sit and think.

Haven't come up with much though. I guess its all a chasing after the wind anyway.

God is good. After a day of trying and realizing that I can't change the color of the hair that grows out of my head I have rescinded control once again.

(It is cool to note that I spelled melancholy and introspective correctly on the first try. Too bad that I had to check the spelling of rescinded. shrug. oh well maybe next time. :) )

Posted by paul at 08:04 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 19, 2004

Update For Today - 2004-04-19 15:10:57

Reading:
Psalm 45 - Sons of Korah/God
Distant Fires - Scott Anderson
Inconstant Moon - Larry Niven
The Maresh Points - Kathy Hanson

Listening:
Illuminate - David Crowder Band
Heavier Things - John Mayer
The Spark - Plankeye

Eating:
An old sandwich - my sister
Assorted Chocolates - Stonebrook Staff Christmas Party (I just found them in my room)

Drinking:
Water - the facet
Coffee - free from Emily

Smelling:
Cool Breeze - my window

Tasks:
Homework due Thursday - CS342
Raising Support - GCM

Talking to:
Adam - Roommate
Michael - Roommate
Christie - Beautiful Fiancé

Posted by paul at 03:10 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

April 18, 2004

weather or not...

Isn't it great to go from using the heat in your car straight to using the air conditioning?

Maybe I am a "wuss" but I hate humitity and could have done without it for at least the next month.

Those this weather does remind me of orlando...

Posted by paul at 03:01 PM | Comments (1)

April 14, 2004

No Fighting?

So awhile back someone (I think it was Ochuk) mentioned that I should do a post on never fighting with my fiancée Christie Gibson.

It really is true. Through the last 8 months together we have not had a single fight.

Now, of course we have had disagreements. We see things different ways just like any two people would. But we don't let those disagreements escalate into a fight. Neither of us has lost their temper and neither of us has gotten frustrated.

Why is this you may ask?
Well, for a couple of reasons, the biggest being that we only get to see each other a couple of times a months. So this means that when we spend a lot of time together over a weekend we are so thankful to be near one another that we put aside the arguments.

Another reason is in our personalities. We are both fairly laid back people and don't look for conflict. Sure we joke and have at times been unkind in our jesting but a simple apology put it in the past.

We also have the life experience necessary in order to see the major issues and dismiss the minor ones.

Now, the question is "When will your first fight be?"
I really couldn't tell you. I assume that some weeks after the wedding we will become entangled in a dispute over one of the main sticky points in marriage, money, sex, or children and let our own selfishness take over and have that first fight.
Or we will end up fighting sometime between now and then about something complete useless and benign.

Who knows? I am not worried about it. I am just enjoying the time that we get together now.

P.S. I love you Christie.
(Sorry to all of the gag meters)

P.S.S. Don't go trying to start a betting pool as to when our first fight will be either.

Posted by paul at 02:04 PM | Comments (8)

April 13, 2004

Yuk!

******************************************************************
So I discovered this morning that I have been blog-spammed again.

Several websites went through and commented on almost half of my posts. They have left disturbing messages and horrid links.

I am attempting to delete them all but if you run into something offensive please tell me so that I can delete it.

Also if you have a blog (especially a lonestrangers blog) check and see if you have gotten blog-spammed.

Thanks for your patience.
******************************************************************

Posted by paul at 10:43 AM | Comments (3)

April 12, 2004

Hey that wasn't funny...

Since I have neither the strength nor the perseverence to post tonight I shall amuse you with...

RANDOM ONE-LINERS (yes, I stole these. And no I won't tell you where.)

Give me ambiguity or give me something else.

(since it's almost the 15th and I haven't done my taxes yet)
I.R.S.: We've got what it takes to take what you've got!

We are born naked, wet and hungry. Then things get worse.
Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot. (I must admit that I hate reading instructions)
He who laughs last thinks slowest! (Sometimes I laugh at my own jokes until other people start laughing at me)

A flashlight is a case for holding dead batteries.

Some of these are techie:
Daddy, why doesn't this magnet pick up this floppy disk?
Daddy, what does FORMATTING DRIVE C mean?Programming is an art form that fights back.
"Daddy, what does FORMATTING DRIVE C mean?"
My mail reader can beat up your mail reader.
Never forget: 2 + 2 = 5 for extremely large values of 2.
To define recursion, we must first define recursion.
To define recursion, we must first define recursion.
Good programming is 99% sweat and 1% coffee.
Home is where you hang your @
The E-mail of the species is more deadly than the mail.
Too many clicks spoil the browse.
A chat has nine lives.
What boots up must come down.

hmm...

I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy every minute of it.
Error, no keyboard - press F1 to continue.
There's too much blood in my caffeine system.

And finally what always rings true-
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to use the Net and he won't bother you for weeks.

Thank you so much -- have a good night -- try the fish

Posted by paul at 08:10 PM | Comments (0)

April 08, 2004

400 seconds of purpose

So car trouble is never good. Last month it was my fiancé’s alternator, then yesterday my muffler fell off. “Grrrreat” I whined and started begging God to leave me with a good lesson a small bill and a good story. My mind was salved a little when a roommate told me that a new muffler was only 30-40 bucks. I was hoping to get off under a hundred with labor.

A MTD appointment, a class, and an hour in the shop’s waiting room left me walking up to the counter with my fingers still crossed. Apparently mufflers don’t run at about 40 bucks. Mine came in at150 or so. A new pipe (60) that leads to it, a couple of clamps (10 each), some seals or something (5), and labor (35) brought it to 257 and some change. (Ok so everything almost adds up)

That was tough to swallow. I looked hard at the receipt and stammered something at the greasy handed man in the blue shirt. He shrugged and said that a muffler and pipe comes in one piece. Somewhere somehow I thought that I should have been entitled to an estimate before the work was done. But in reality it only took them a half hour or so of actual labor. So there was nothing for them to cheat me on. I slid them my plastic and shuffled out the door, dejected. I went about my business and whined.

A couple of hours later I was sitting outside my house still whining at God. Then I thought about the old man that I had seen on TV while waiting for my reaper, I mean, mechanic. He shook a little nervously as he told the “B” daytime-late-show-type host that his one hit some came from somewhere inside of him. It was Rick Springsteen. His one hit song had made it for him I guess, and he was still living off it. He rocked out for three and a half minutes and then smashed his Fernandez guitar to pieces on the multicolored studio floor. Then not knowing what to do he picked up a chunk of it and pretended to play it for the cheering fans as the studio reprised his hit. The clothing designer’s and stylist for Mr. So-and-so host names flew across the screen. And it was over.

If you asked me five minutes earlier who Rick Springsteen was I couldn’t have told you. And I bet only a handful of you could even name his one song. But that is what he had given his life to. It glowed for a little while and then faded into obscurity.

I stopped whining and thanked God that I have more of a purpose in my life.

Posted by paul at 09:21 AM | Comments (4)

April 07, 2004

no, actually, I don't

So do you ever get that weird coffee tired shake thing?
Where you want to lay down and close your eyes and and go outside and scamper across a parking lot all at the same time.
Where you are relentlessly chewing on your fingernails and jiggling your leg.
When you are trying to sit still but ever 4 minutes you get up and...

sorry I lost my train of thought...

I must have gotten up to go do something and then forgotten what it was that I was going to do.
When your eyes really feel like they should be closed and you have to remind them why they are open... oh... about every 43 seconds.

More effects of caffee...

BTW: any theories as to what a "Wood-Daver" is?

Posted by paul at 10:28 AM | Comments (5)

April 06, 2004

Sparks Fly

So here I am blogging... not really because I want to but because a certain roommate of mine hasn't finished dinner.

So a couple of comments about who I am:
What type of person picks up a pen and tries to use it. Then finding it doesn't work replaces it into the very same receptacle that he found it in? And then some days later takes it out and tries again.

Isn’t that the definition of insanity? To try something over and over truly expecting different results.

What does it say about a person when they really enjoy campfires? Building, maintaining and playing with campfires. Mr. Scott Kovach suggested that it could be because I enjoy controlling something wild. Or trying to tame something nearly untamable. To which I replied (much to my chagrin) that then perhaps it means that I should involve myself in women’s ministry. (Ok not that funny, at least not to the women readers out there. (I thought it was hilarious.)) Never the less I do quite enjoy staring into the flames and stirring it up with a large stick. Does wonders for the imagination.

Posted by paul at 06:02 PM | Comments (4)

April 04, 2004

Nuthin' like it

It has been a random weekend.

I would appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers as I head into this next week. I must admit that I am feeling a little tired of my current schedule.

School has got me a little behind and in reality I would take my finals tomorrow if they would let me. I wouldn't do as well but I would be done.

I have been building a ministry team so that I can be on full time staff. (Most people would call this support raising (I need people to partner with me not just give me support and wave goodbye)) That has been going well but I am getting to the end of the list of people I know. That means striking out into the wide world and a higher risk of defeat and ridicule. So if you know anyone who is interested in seeing damaged youth on the American college campus come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ well then point me their way. I want to talk to them.

Anyway, I believe in the power of prayer. So please pray that I would be motivated this week to continue my walk of faith, leaving the safety net behind and becoming all that God would have for me to be.

11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.

P.S. Many thanks to all of my readers who have already made the decision to support GCM on my behalf.

P.P.S. Everyone: lets give a warm blog welcome to Dr. Mike and Cindy Gibson. I hear that they are recent regular readers here. :)

P.P.P.S. Late night blog entries rock! It feels late and it's only 10:56pm! JIESHHH! I am getting old. Hazzah for post post post scripts too!

Posted by paul at 10:56 PM | Comments (7)

March 31, 2004

Theme? We don't need no Theme

So here it is... a random smattering:

The 10 best rock bands ever - I must admit that I don't think that I have ever heard of Sly and the Family Stone and would definitly remove them from the list.

An the musical note: There are some bands/artists that can only be listened to at certain times whether that be in the afternoon or evening. I must say though that Pete Yorn can stand at any hour. If you have never given him a chance and enjoy mellow rythm driven rock check him out. Seriously. Do it.
(aside: if I could I would try Pete's bushy hair for a day (don't worry Christie has more sense then I do and would make me cut it))

I like riddles:
"There are three things that amaze me--no, four things I do not understand:
how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman."

"There are four things on earth that are small but unusually wise:
Ants--they aren't strong,
but they store up food for the winter.
Rock badgers--they aren't powerful,
but they make their homes among the rocky cliffs.
Locusts--they have no king,
but they march like an army in ranks.
Lizards--they are easy to catch,
but they are found even in kings' palaces."

Ah wisdom, sweet wisdom:
"As the beating of cream yields butter, and a blow to the nose causes bleeding, so anger causes quarrels."

Posted by paul at 10:22 AM | Comments (1)

March 29, 2004

the contents of my day and what I learned

Wake up: Bedrooms with windows provide much more motivation then those without

Appointment with Ziebols: Secret to a happy marriage - Bring her breakfast in bed

CprE 485 Lab: 400 level classes realize that you have already learned just about enough, so sit back, relax, and get an A

ComS 342 HW a: Don't try this at home... may cause severe injury

ComS 342 TA a: After an unintelligble half hour I understood that he had just given me the solution... probably out of frustration... and to get me to leave

ComS 342 HW b: Realization - this class is way to much work for someone of my intellegence

ComS 342 TA b: Good News - English is his native tongue, Bad News - He spends 10 mins explaining why the hw isn't worth much and that a lot of students are in my place, but then tells me to spend more time on it

Lunch: Spent 47 sec wolfling down 1/2 lb of quasi-beef and a gut-buster sized fry, spent next 47 mins asking God to take me home

ComS 342 HW c: I am such a hard worker...either that or I am rather stupid

Go Home: After spending 8 hours in a computer lab the sky seems really big and beautiful...I want to be done with college.

Posted by paul at 05:02 PM | Comments (2)

March 28, 2004

Character

Phil: You asked about character and the question is deeper. You asked me if you had any character and the answer is you do not for the simple reason that you do not regret anything.

Bob: Are you saying I don’t have any character until I do something I regret?

Phil: No Bob, I’m saying you have already done plenty things to regret. You just don’t know what they are. It’s when you discover them, when you see the folly in something you have done and you wish that you had to do it over but you know you can’t because it’s too late so you pack that thing up and you carry it with you to remind you that life goes on. The world will spin without you. You really don’t matter in the end. Then you will attain character because honesty will rush out from inside and tattoo itself across your face. Until that day, however, you cannot expect to go beyond a certain point.

-The Big Kahuna

This is an amazing movie about a young man (much like myself) with a lot of drive and passion who get told in the end by a sad suicidal older man that he needs character. I don’t completely understand the response. Maybe that’s why it fascinates me.

What does it mean to be a man of character? To sweat and strive for the purest of purposes?

Posted by paul at 06:25 PM | Comments (1)

March 25, 2004

Fun!

I really don't have a lot for leasure activity.

I have hobbies per se: guitar, sketching.
I also enjoy: movies, music, sports.
But how many of these do I enjoy often? Mostly none...

I saw my pastors and church staff out the other day flying kites... Dave Bovenmyer standing there looking pastorly with a "taz" kite at the end of the string and Elaine Royes running around and laughing. It was quite a sight. I wish that I could have joined them.

Posted by paul at 11:53 AM | Comments (4)

March 15, 2004

Breeeeeeeeaaaaaaak

So this is spring break huh? Cool! I hope that no one is losing patient with the fact that I haven't been blogging.

It has been busy and I have been in Wisconsin visiting my fiance Christie Gibson (welcome to all of you google searchers. Yes you found it, the #1 spot for news and information on Christie Mae Gibson!)
anyway
its tough to blog here because I don't have JOHNSON-RETURNS my trusty computor.

But stay tuned I will have some great posts coming up...
"NPR and why it's great for long trips."
"What are native Wisconsinites really like?"
"Car Alternators: The Joys, The Sorrows."
And, "Eddy what happened to your head?"

Thanks for reading, we'll be back after these messages from our sponser.

Posted by paul at 09:49 PM | Comments (2)

March 09, 2004

Christie Gibson is #1 again

Well I have climbed the ranks of google once again (thanks to matt) and now have reclaimed the coveted #1 search result for Christie Gibson.

In other news:
The song Warehouse by the DMB is awesome in it's recorded version and I am told (by pat) that the live version is even better (if that is possible (i think it is (do you?)))

Posted by paul at 11:43 AM | Comments (5)

March 06, 2004

Small Victories

So this blog has gone through many hoops to entertain, inform and sometimes provoke to thought. At times it has done this and at times it has fallen flat on its face. This past week in particular has seen several endorsements from those whom we all know and love:

Cliff Plymesser: admitted "first and last trip to a blog"
Julie Johnson: my little sister makes an impassioned appearance
Kathy Hanson: to my surprise lauds my writing ability
Earle and Drencher: "super" computer rankings come in at #4 (a little disappointing but hey who can argue with a "super" computer)
Surprise visits from Angie M. and Emily a fellow inter from last summer plus there was all of the regulars Mike, Matt, Ochuk, Pat, Angie, Heather and many many more. I even got a comment from Micah (who really like my blog and reads it everyday but rarely comments)

Now I just have to figure out a way to get Dave Powers to comment...hmmm

Posted by paul at 05:06 PM | Comments (2)

March 05, 2004

Black and White

This last week has been a dark one. I saw the sun I think once on tuesday afternoon and other then that not at all.

It seems like a movie or something. You know one of those movies with the rather artsy director that puts a cool glow on the screen like in minority report or decides to go retro and do it in letterbox (before dvds aka before letterbox was cool) like last of the mohicans or in black and white like schindlers list.

In fact this last week has been a very black and white week. All these subdude tones and grays. It has been a black and white emotional week as well with sharp contrasts and stark differences.

Wow a deer just walked by my window!!! There is life on this earth after all...

Posted by paul at 04:55 PM | Comments (4)

March 03, 2004

The prototypical grad student

You know that you have seen him. Mostly typified by a fashion sense developed and currently kept at about whenever this person graduated from high school. (Which nowadays is about 1995)

He walks rather slowly (because he is so old) and almost continually hangs his head (because his brain is too heavy or because he has been trying to figure out this intense lambda calculus equation for the past 3.7954 months. (That’s metric months not English months)) Consistently blinking and or pushing up his owlish pair of tortoise shell spectacles he mumbles about the aforementioned lambda calculus incoherently.

He has a beard (and he is one of those people who shouldn’t have one) and hair that hangs over his ears and the tops of his spectacles. He tries to part far on the left side of his head but it has the tendency to fall forward because he is looking at the ground so much.

He wears a members-only gray jacket with the mock-collar and all the snaps. This clashes nicely with the flannel shirt underneath and the black jeans that are now charcoal because of use.

Now you maybe thinking well this guy is just retro-early-mid-nineties style. But, no he just doesn’t make that cut. He doesn’t care now and hasn’t cared for almost a decade. To top is off he slings a messenger bag. And not the cool bags made fashionable by the gap and Nathan Meyer. His bag is loaded so much so that the seams are splitting and there are coffee stains all over it.

But to his credit the grad student is bettering society. He will soon be a professor to pass on the absurd amount of useless knowledge that he has assembled. So thank you grad student and man, lay off the Asian food it makes your clothes stink.

(p.s. I love Asians and Asian food (and I love grad students (especially Tony Hill)))

Posted by paul at 10:22 AM | Comments (12)

March 02, 2004

Reflections on Radiohead

In reality Radiohead is your all purpose rain band. Coupled with Counting Crows and Ben Folds you can live out any rainy day in complete bliss.

Radiohead provides a veritable slew of raucous and regenerative hooks layered upon sorrow and reveling in loss. From the Rock albums of Pablo Honey and The Bends to the surreal pulsing rhythms OK Computer, Amnesiac, and Kid A to finally the interesting blend provided by Hail to the Thief. They really keep you on your toes. I wish that on days like today I had all of their CD’s so that I could shuffle them in tribute to Thom York and his band of geeks…

Alas the only album I have is the Bends. It’ll have to do.

Posted by paul at 11:13 AM | Comments (3)

March 01, 2004

Rain

So I like rainy days.

I really like rainy days.

I don't consider myself a really downer type person and though I have certainly felt depressed in the past I have never "struggled" with depression. (as described by those who have)

So what is with my fascination with dark sad clouds and miserable drizzly rain? I guess I also have an affinity for slow mournful music. I like dirges. I don't enjoy death or pain, I mean I am not a sadist or masochist or anything.

What's my deal? Do you like rain?

Posted by paul at 01:39 PM | Comments (10)

February 24, 2004

100th post

So here are the stats:

100 posts and 344 comments obviously that 3.44 comments per post. Thats not bad for an out of the way site run by a know it all college upstart.

I have come along way since I recieved my 100th comment on October 09

Here are some high points:

Most Commented Posts
Complicated - July 28, 2003
Men vs Women - October 23, 2003
Point System - November 18, 2003
So I got a lot of theories... so I keep'em in the couch... - December 16, 2003

Most Controversial/Interesting Discussion
Questions? - February 10, 2004

A few Favorites
News Flash - December 24, 2003
Church vs. Radio - December 19, 2003 (No one really took this one seriously but I thought it was really cool)
The Quandry - December 13, 2003

My whole first month was great because I had time to post and ideas to post about. (Then August was a complete wash go figure) Sometimes I wish that I could re-post that stuff now that I have a more solid reader base. But you can go back and read it if you like.

Thanks for sticking with me through this journey. The good the bad and the uglyness of blogging! Hope to see you still reading in another hundred posts.

Posted by paul at 09:22 PM | Comments (2)

February 20, 2004

The Dating "Game"

So because
A: Today marks 99 days until my wedding
and
B: Because no one seems to like posts on bible verses that resemble exhortative sermons
and finally
C: Everyone loves to talk about dating
I am going to devote a couple of entries here to my story and the stories of others. I know there are many that do not agree with the "gcm-approved" dating method. So I would like to open this up so that you can share your or someone else's story that worked but may have completely circumscribed the aforementioned method.

So here goes.... (The cliff notes version)

(Start whiny violin - fade to fuzzy flashback)
Two years ago I found myself going to Leadership Training in Colorado for the 3rd time. I still am not sure why I went other then the fact that most of those I was leading went.
Through an act of God I convinced those in authority to let me be a band leader (commonly referred to as worship leader).
The powers that be gave to me a certain female singer from Wisconsin to be apart of this fledgling musical creation.

(Enter Christie Gibson stage left a medium to short quiet young woman of 22 with chin length chestnut hair, large flashing intelligent eyes, and a voice so beautiful that it could certainly calm a horde of pillaging Vikings.)

Needless to say that I was immediately captivated.
All I needed to do now was to finesse her with my charm, rugged good looks and boundless wit. Actually all it took was for me to make a humorous comment to one of the balding speakers about a certain obscure biblical passage in Kings referring to some youths a female bear and Elisha’s bald head.

So we spent the next 3 months worshiping God together every week. And trying not to act interested.

Cutting out a lot of great tidbits of needless fluff we find ourselves at LT closing ceremonies. Christie sneaks a picture of me drinking from pitcher and I try several times to nonchalantly request her email address so that we can keep in touch but I fail miserably and retreat mostly out of fear. It seems as if we are destine to never see each other again…

(To be continued)

Posted by paul at 10:50 AM | Comments (5)

February 18, 2004

Have you ever thought about...

There are the classic debates between driveways and parkways and animal crackers (neither cracker nor cookie?) and what came first the chicken or the egg but really there are many more absurd debates in question. I will answer the question behind the question...

Q: What is the meaning of life?
But the more important question is why you can’t get a date?
A: Cut your hair, take a shower, and stop acting like an egotistical jerk and after that we’ll talk.

Q: Why is there air?
But the more important question is why are you so stupid?
A: No one really knows.

Q: Does God exist?
But the more important question is why would God not exist?
A: God would not exist solely for the purpose of tricking everyone. Which in itself is a contradiction much like our lives without the existence of God.

Q: Why did God create monkeys?
But the more important question is why did God create emus?
A: God didn’t create emus. He created monkeys and lamas. Again your confused.

And finally…
Q: Does pizza satisfy all four food groups and is therefore nutritious and should be eaten for all meals?
But the more important question is why you should eat anything else?
And to that I have no answer.

Posted by paul at 10:36 AM | Comments (4)

February 17, 2004

just base assumptions

coffee is better then tea (even chai)
football is better then baseball
no one inside the usa watches soccer
for the ladies:
daisies are more romantic then the typical roses (carnations suck)
fall is better then spring

I am still debating…
Bounty hunter vs. Ninja

I am not sure if I will ever solve that one.

Posted by paul at 10:25 AM | Comments (6)

February 14, 2004

Christie Gibson is #1

So in moving my blog to the lonestrangers domain I have lost the coveted #1 spot on google. I am no longer the #1 web site for news and information on Christie Gibson.

Maybe I can get it back...

Posted by paul at 11:30 PM | Comments (7)

February 13, 2004

maybe not

since no one has any ideas on the last post...

I would just like to make it known that I did not change the links on the side of my site. All those new links and even the positioning of the links is matt's doing. He likes to go in and change the site when my back is turned.

So please note that I do not necessarily endorse the views of:
The Lone Strangers
Matt and Nancy Heerema
Pat Blair
Paul Johnson (funny how my name snuck into the list (ok so I do endorse my own views))
Heather Hanson
Dave and Mandy Powers
Angie Frerichs
Mike Biang
Dan Jones
Andrew Teply
Adam Omelianchuk
or (and maybe especially)
Matt Heerema's Tech Blog

Posted by paul at 01:23 PM | Comments (7)

February 10, 2004

Questions?

So one has to wonder what state our student group is in when we call people together for a leaders meeting and see a response of between 50 to 70 people.

Couple this fact with our weekly attendance numbers at the Rock which have been at about 150 on a good night and you have an interesting situation on your hands.

Are the people that come to our leaders meetings actual leaders? What would our weekly Rock look like if these 50-70 people were actually leading out spiritually in their jobs, classes, and neighborhoods?

Posted by paul at 09:21 PM | Comments (10)

February 06, 2004

Snow Blind

I was traveling down good ol' Lincoln way on this beautiful snowy afternoon in my sporty Cutlass Cierra I noticed that the large pickup in front of me was slowing down, rapidly. The trucks taillights where partially obscured by the wet snow clinging to all of the vehicles.

So I slammed on my breaks and they instantly started to make this rhythmic crunching hydraulic noise. That means that my state-of-the-art 1994 anti-lock breaks where doing their thing. Sweet. Well I wasn't slowing down fast enough so being the conscious driver that I am I checked my rear view mirror and the right lane as I started pumping my breaks to contribute to the incredible stopping power of my anti-lockers.

Finally I hit real pavement. Luckily I was only going about 5 mph at this point so my car jerked a little and stopped. I checked my rear view again to see another pickup behind me also stop just in time.

I have half a second to catch my breath when I see the reason for this whole break pad cleaning near miss. An elderly person in a mid eighties Mercedes or Jag slowly turns left from in front of the truck ahead of me. I get half of a snort of disgust out when a red import comes shooting by on MY LEFT. Now realize that I am in the left lane at this point and so that means that the import is going the wrong way. For what reason I still don't know.

So the import just creams the back panel of the jag and spins it around and then barely limps out of the way of an oncoming car. Pieces of muddy snow and ice go everywhere and everyone stops. The elderly person seems shaken up but ok. I wish I could have stayed to hear what came out of their mouth when approaching the import driver.

It was pretty amazing. Anyway, that’s my story for today.

Posted by paul at 04:13 PM | Comments (3)

February 04, 2004

Anonymous Readers

So again just the other day I was reminded of the anonymous reading public who chance by my little board every now and again (or maybe even more often than that) but simply never feel the need to post...

Are my thoughts so well fashioned and comprehensive that these so-called blog-grazers easily slither on to the next sumptuous morsel?

Or is it simply that my gramer and spleling are so horibel that they just can't seem to pul a conherient thought from this honking gibberish?

Maybe I should instigate a quest to bring these blog-grazers to integrity. To cause them so much astonishment and incredulity over the ideas pontificated within that they are literally forced and compelled to provide the obligatory counterpoint to my heedless logic.

Or perhaps I ought endeavor to comprise within a post as numerous vocabulary words as is achievable... Moreover, either approach should be appealing.

Posted by paul at 11:04 PM | Comments (2)

February 03, 2004

A Superficial Glut of Meaningless Drivel vol. 2

I don't like getting emails from the all rock list that say "I got a new cell phone". It makes more sense to me that the person just email everyone in their personal email list and then post it on the rock web site. Because really, if I have someone’s cell phone programmed into my phone then I am probably on his/her personal email list. If I don’t have his/her number programmed in then I probably don’t call or email them and don’t get calls or emails from them.

BTW Angie F just got a cell phone and I think that hell (as well as florida) just froze over... whats next Pat Blair getting a cell phone? Unlikely!

Doesn't Dave Powers have about 4 cell phones?

Posted by paul at 04:17 PM | Comments (4)

January 29, 2004

24 and counting...

So, 24 isn't such a bad number. It has lots of factors: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, and everyones favorite 24.

So what's it like to tick back another one on the ol' odometer of life...? Pretty much like the last one.

Its nice to know that I can still put down a full applebee's appitizer sampler and a killians without breaking a sweat.

So long 23... you have been good to me.

Posted by paul at 11:16 PM | Comments (3)

January 27, 2004

Once upon a time...

...sitting at a stop light I peer into my rear view window out and through my ice encrusted back window at the driver behind me.

He is a tall thin middle-aged man with wire rimmed aviator style glasses. His face is drawn and tired and his thin knife like nose curls down drooping over his upper lip. Slowly and calmly he raises a solitary bony finger and plunges it deep into his right nostril. He fishes around a little and I can see his glasses tip and roll. Apparently satisfied he removes the digit from his nose and returns his hand to its former position below my line of sight.

This drama unfolds in simplicity with an air of the everyday adventure. I am awaked from my trace like state in studying this peculiar character by cars passing me. I am forced to take my turn left and divide paths with my infamous gold digger and leave him to his lonely life and to his nose.

The End

Posted by paul at 09:36 PM | Comments (2)

January 25, 2004

Question of the Day

"How long is eternity?"

Posted by paul at 11:00 PM | Comments (2)

January 20, 2004

Failure #2

We all fail. I believe that failure is as much a part of the human life as death is. Without death time loses its significance and I believe that the crud of this world would get us to the point where we would welcome an escape from this planet.

Failure is similar, but not the same. As Mike commented in the last post there is purpose in our failure. Death is a result of failure and as Mike also said it brings us to the "foot of the cross". In non-christianese that means that we get humbled to the point where we realize that our failures will cost us everything.

Our failures our paramount to our existence before we realize there is something more. I have mentioned before (back in July I believe it was my second post...(I thought it was a good one but I had just a few readers) If you want to go back and look at it.(http://www.lonestrangers.com/blogs/paul/archives/000007.html))
Both Judas and Peter betrayed Christ. But their response to that failure was different. With the Holy Spirit's help Peter went on to lead the church in Jerusalem while Judas took a nose dive into a field.

We all have failed. We all will fail. The question is how will we respond.

Posted by paul at 12:16 PM | Comments (6)

January 18, 2004

Cool Room #2 (the ultimate bachelor pad)

I was just thinking as I was driving home from soundly beating three girls at the card game hearts that it would be really cool to come home to an apartment similar to the one that I think they had in the most recent spiderman movie...

Open the heavy door and enter the studio apartment. The kitchen is in a corner to your right complete with overstocked frig, with a dinning room on the same side of the room to your left. You walk straight ahead out into the "living room" area of the apartment. The wall opposite the door you came through is large "I" beams with panes of glass in them with the windows looking out over the city from seven stories up.

The floor is wood with rugs covering the area in the living room between several large overstuffed leather pieces of funiture. A couch, a small couch, a recliner, and a coffee table are complimented by an automan that at first seems out of place untill you discover how useful an automan can be when lounging. Several guitars stand ready to be played at various places around the room. A comfortably sized TV and accompaning sound system sit in the corner between the kitchen and living room.

The walls a a reddish brick and the room is completely square and open except for a short wall (about 5 feet long) dividing half the kitchen from the living room. At the end of this wall is a spiral cast iron stair that runs up to the loft that sits over the kitchen and the dining room. It has a heavy railing and deep carpeting. Since the windows run the length and breadth of the outside wall plently of light comes through both day and night. Only lamps are needed to light the poker games played, watched sporting events, and jam sessions.

I come home after a long day doing this and that. Hang my coat up on the tall coat rack sitting almost under the stairs. Pull off my shoes and pad up to collapse on the disheveled bed fully clothed to fall asleep to the sound of rain patting against the window.

Posted by paul at 12:33 PM | Comments (1)

January 13, 2004

Back to School 2

I look at the faces of my fellow students feeling a kindred sense of belonging. These comrades carry their brotherhood unknowingly and without pride. I could approach any of them and develop a rapport within minutes if they would only being willing to talk about the many similarities that are inerrant between us. Talk of classes and professors, those foreign TA’s, and even food service would be easier than any that could be had in corporate world.

I will make the most of my last semester. I encourage you, as well, to make the most of this semester as if it is your last. (Even if your last semester has already past) This life is a grass that springs up in a season and then is withered by the sun and wind and then it dies.

Posted by paul at 12:36 PM | Comments (1)

January 12, 2004

Back to School

Well its that time again...

I walked the well worn sidewalks of the ISU campus with a sense of rememberance. This will most likely be the last first day of school that I will have, at least in my continuous education.

After this semester I will no longer be one of the all inclusive, ubiquitous, crowd called american college youth. No longer will I hale to the irresponsibilities of the child-like adults which so overrun this town with their vile social manners and piles of pop culture and fast food garbage.

Sigh... I will miss it despite the fact that I despise it so...
Its good to be almost done.

Posted by paul at 12:24 PM | Comments (2)

January 07, 2004

May 29th

Is the big day! We don't have a church yet but we do have the Hyde Arts Center for the reception. (we booked it at about 3:30 this afternoon)

The arts center is beautiful with a turn of the century ballroom/auditorium with balcony and big stage for the lone strangers to play.

We are still making final decisions on catering...

What say you: (pick two of the following)
Chicken
Roast Beef
Pork Loin
Meat Balls
or Fish
???

Posted by paul at 06:07 PM | Comments (6)

January 06, 2004

Sorry to all you faithful readers...

...but come on I am trying to plan a wedding here!

(By the way if you haven't heard how I proposed... It was very romantic.)

It has been interesting to see things from this side. We are thinking about having the wedding on May 29th which means that it is only 144 days away! And that is not much time to plan a wedding when most couples start a year out. But we are looking at receptions halls and it is going to be sweet!!!

A verse that has been a constant in my prayers throughout this process is Ps 5:3 which talks about ordering your prayer in the morning and eagerly watching to see what the Lord will do. I appreciate your prayers.

Posted by paul at 12:00 PM | Comments (4)

December 24, 2003

News Flash

Paul Johnson has a Fiancé!

Posted by paul at 02:22 PM | Comments (8)

December 20, 2003

Wisconsin

I am usually not a very fearful person...

But, people in wisconsin that drive big rusted trucks that have stickers on the back that say: "Charlton Heston is my president" kinda scare me just a little.

Posted by paul at 10:10 AM | Comments (3)

December 18, 2003

Movie Reviews

So because I like movies and I have seen some good ones lately...

Pirates of the Caribbean
A fun and frivolous film about, you guessed it, pirates. Yes, it was fashioned after the ride in Disney World, but Johnny Depp really makes it fun as Cap’n Jack Sparrow. Good clean movie with comic action violence and some low cut dresses but that’s all.

The Last Samurai
A film about Tom Cruise’s retired Civil War captain and how he reforms his ways in learning the morals, honor, and code of the Samurai people in Japan. A little predictable but what from Hollywood isn’t. Rated R for violence. No sex or even hint of sex. There is half a kiss but it is cut off quickly and you can close your eyes through it if you want to. :J

Master and Commander
Another Captain. "Lucky" Jack Aubrey played by Russell Crowe chases a phantom French ship (we all like seeing the French lose) around the ocean while his doctor (Paul Bettany who you probably don’t know but played opposite Crowe in “A Beautiful Mind” as the prodigal roommate) tries to keep the sailors alive and discover a little more about our world. Good conflict between these two. Again no sex. You only see women for about 3 minutes and they are clothed. There is a boy who gets his arm amputated early in the film. They don’t show the cutting but they do show his face while it is happening.

The Pianist
Probably most of you have seen Adrian Brody in this WWII Holocaust movie but I just saw it last night. Every now and then you need to see a serious sobering movie like this. Love and loss, good stuff. There are some pretty shocking murders so if you are easily grossed out then avoid it, but again I think that we need to see at least a taste of the terrible reality of what happened. Finally there is also no sexual content that I saw. The DVD that I watched skipped several times so I missed small portions of the film but from what I have read and seen it is clean.

These are not the best movies that I have ever seen but I can in good conscious recommend them. They all have some violent aspects so if you are a young child or would be viewing them with a young child you might want to check out the web site I go to continuously and trust for my movie ratings Screenit.com

Also I watch a lot of previews so that I can avoid the stupid or trashy movies. Trailers.apple.com provides them in quicktime format that takes longer to download but doesn’t skip while playing. It is the site that I go to most often over windows media or realplayer.

Long post but I am sure that you didn’t read all of it. :J

Posted by paul at 01:05 PM | Comments (4)

December 17, 2003

Christie Gibson Again

So only eight days after my post I have claimed the number one result spot on google!!!

I am the premier web site to check for information about Christie Gibson.

(I want to see if they print that line)

Anyway, thats pretty cool...

Hmm... what should I tackle next? Micah Satren (oh wait Pat already has that one) maybe... ooh Angie Frerichs only returns 4 entries...

WOW! Tim Borseth claims 7 of his top 10 that is amazing!!!

Posted by paul at 08:07 PM | Comments (9)

December 16, 2003

So I got a lot of theories... so I keep'em in the couch...

So while studying in the library today and remarking aloud to my fellow "study-ers": "Wow, what a bunch of geeks." (Most of them didn't even look up.) I was reminded of my Geek theory.

It is amazing how much we avoid the term geek or nerd. It is definitely a derogatory term to describe someone with an unhealthy preoccupation with a specific subject of study. It also comes with geek-speak, a language that can only be spoken by fellow geeks of your particular discipline.

Now there are those out there who would happily claim the term geek (beat you to it matt) but for most it remains a term we attempt to escape.

But, in all reality we (those of us who have pursued a college education) are all seeking to attain the status of a geek. We all take classes so that we can learn the language, write papers, and pursue our "geekiness".

So the next time that you think to ridicule a geek for his lack of social skills or bad taste in bowties think about what you are paying the university for...

Posted by paul at 11:35 AM | Comments (12)

December 14, 2003

Another Weirdness

So in keeping with exploiting my oddities for your entertainment...

Like the above archive I was going to post on a second bathroom phobia but instead I want pull back to something a little less personal and talk about routine.

It is very difficult for me not to subconsiously slip into a meaningless routine.

Here is an example: (Ok I am going to use the bathroom.)

Men are faced with the choice of urinal when entering a public bathroom. Now there are certain rules that govern this when other men are present. (I'll let pat dig up the link finding them.) But when I am all alone and I frequent a bathroom (such as the one in the CS building on campus) I have that deep down pull to always pick the same one, or say pick on in sequence, or use some other algorythm to make the choice.

A choice cannot be meaningless, it must carry some weight. I must choose that specific urinal for this specific reason.

Maybe I am obsessive-complusive.
Maybe I am also a genius.
I doubt that either are true.

Posted by paul at 11:32 AM | Comments (3)

December 10, 2003

Age descrimination

So I walk by an "elderly" person who is talking to themself.
I think:
"That person must be senile or something."

I walk by a "young" person who is talking to themself.
I think:
"That person must be on a cell phone with an ear piece."

The times they are a changin'
How's that for thought fodder?

Posted by paul at 10:59 PM | Comments (6)

December 09, 2003

Who are you?

I think that how we view ourselves is essential to how much God can do through us.

If you believe that you are simply an average joe, nothing special and you always will be; then you probably are not considering what God can do through you.

1 Cor 1:18-31

So who are you? If we see ourselves the same way that God sees us we will never have the self esteem problems that plague our generation.

So proclaim your identity!!!

Posted by paul at 11:19 AM | Comments (5)

December 06, 2003

back again

So I am back but busier then ever... (tight-lipped-grimmace)
between projects/tests/ministry concerns/relational joys this proves to be the "fun season" of my life. (wry smile)

Have fun in the coming weeks as I let you in on my zany happenings.

Posted by paul at 06:11 PM | Comments (0)

November 18, 2003

Point System

So with Pat and his PBBPS (or whatever it is) and Matt telling me that I couldn't use it...

I have decided to implement my own sort of rating system.
I won't assign point values to things, instead I have realized how much my facial expression impacts what I am trying to convey.

So I am going to try to parenthetically reference my facial expressions several times within any given blog entry.

Try and visualize my face and what the particular expression would look like and I think that your reading experience will be greatly heightend

thats all for tonight (smug smile)
(sit back and fade out)

Posted by paul at 11:13 PM | Comments (12)

November 17, 2003

blah..

Ah the greasy feeling of not showering and spending the day in front of a computer screen. Filling my body with fattening food, coffee, and assorted beverages and leaving to venture out into the wet and dreary world only twice.

I am feeling reflective and introspective...

it is at times like these that I wonder what is really at the core of my being. When you strip away all of the "nuture" what is my "nature"?

I am a sad strange little man...

but hey at least I got a girl (wink and oral clicking sound)

Posted by paul at 11:01 PM | Comments (1)

November 13, 2003

Jack Vettriano

So I really like this guys paintings.

Not being an art major or anything I couldn't tell you if it was a trowback or a cheap copy or something. I haven't seen all of his work either I just like most of what I have seen.

I think that it's thought provolking.

His site is not very good.
But check out
this site and this site for a more browsable way of seeing some of his stuff.

Posted by paul at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)

November 12, 2003

...and thats our world tonight.

So I am becoming increasingly convinced that this country is becoming post Christian.

Here are a couple of signals:
NYC district denies birth of Jesus
'Ten Commandments' Ruling Comes Thursday

Does this upset me?
In a way yes because I want to see the name of Christ upheld and not dragged through the mud.

But...
On the other hand I think that this is beginning to lead into a society that is not spun up with nominal Christians basically "dragging the name of Christ through the mud."
Recently being a Christian in main line culture has bred a new strain of Christian (at least I hope) that is starting to know their stuff and have a real faith that comes from hardship and persecution.

Anyway, sorry that is a little heavy and long after saying that I was going to make shorter posts. It was a little political too. Maybe Pat is rubbing off.

Posted by paul at 09:34 PM | Comments (0)

November 09, 2003

Quaint Pleasures

Some of the small things in life are the most amusing or interesting:

I really enjoy a recently boiled egg dry itself from the heat that it is storing beneath its smooth white shell.

To watch the water on its surface simply evaporate with in about 30 seconds is truely facinating.

What simple everyday things do you love to watch?

Posted by paul at 06:07 PM | Comments (5)

November 05, 2003

The Passion of Christ

So last night I downloaded the leaked trailer of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ" which details the last 12 hours of Jesus' life and is supposed to be very biblically accurate.

The trailer gave me chills...

Check it out at http://www.passion-movie.com

Posted by paul at 01:13 PM | Comments (0)

November 04, 2003

Shorter Entries

I have decided that for me long elaborate posts are simply not a reality for me... at least not on a regular basis. If you want long posts check out Pat's Blog or Adam's Blog, both of them can be long winded and apparently have the time to be smart, interesting, and funny, whereas when I feel the need to have a long post sometimes it takes me a week to come up with the time, ambition, and good ideas simultaniously in order to produce such a post as they frequently do.

I am not abandoning the blog world as I have considered I am just adjusting it to the constraints that fit my current existance.

Thank you and I bid you good evening... (Tip Hat)

Posted by paul at 09:05 PM | Comments (2)

Addicted

I have become increasingly aware that I am completely dependant upon a certain substance. I just cannot function properly when I am seperated from this. I sneak away from public gatherings to get a fix, I even hide my addiction from others trying to do it quietly so that no one will notice. Until now...

I am addicted to music. I must have it on a day to day basis. I listen to it while I cook while I clean, when I do my homework, when I go to church... Like a splinter in my mind I can feel it...

How can I be free of this prison for my mind?

Do I want to be free?

(PBPBPS +12 for not so subtle Matrix reference.)

Posted by paul at 08:56 PM | Comments (5)

October 23, 2003

Men vs Women

So recently I have become increasingly annoyed with people who make the claim that Men and Women are exactly the same in every way. I definitely believe that they are equal in every basic human right. But I also understand that they have differences in the way that their bodies and minds are made by the creator. To claim that they are completely the same and that they only differences are in societies nurturing’s seems just naive.

I don’t think that men have cravings.

What differences do you see?

Let’s settle this debate once and for all here on this blog.

Posted by paul at 09:06 AM | Comments (12)

October 20, 2003

Sorry thats gross

Sorry to be gross again... but
I just sucked 85 ladybugs off of my walls and ceiling with a vacuum cleaner.
talk about an investation.

I don't think they are all gone.

so I am keeping the vacuum close.

Posted by paul at 06:41 PM | Comments (2)

October 09, 2003

Guitar Strings

I know a certain person who really likes Elixar strings.
What do you think?

Posted by paul at 04:24 PM | Comments (5)

100th comment

So here is a landmark as far as my blog is concerned.

I have recieved over 100 comments to my posts over the last three months or so.

I have posted 31 times. That is an average of every three days or so.

It also means that I average about 3.3346 comments per post.

Obviously there have been few heated debates.

So to all of my faithful:
What do you want?

(P.S. I realize that the main way of increasing your blogs popularity is having really good posts, posting frequently, and advertising by commenting really well on other peoples blogs. Since I really don't do any one of those I must be content with the small time.)

(P.P.S Thank you for your support and reading.)

Posted by paul at 04:16 PM |