- Blog

Entries from December 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008

Sunday

Dec212008

A Christmas Poem

Sunday, December 21, 2008 at 12:43AM

Sitting on the bus in Michigan
driving to Ohio to play again
It's Christmas time and there's one more show
then back home is where we'll go
We've had fun but we're getting tired
but still give our best and we don't get fired
I just ate a cupcake and feel a little sick
or maybe the Burger King did the trick
The bus is driving through some crazy weather
I hope we don't die in the front lounge together
Cason and I might watch "The Prestige"
or I might try to go get some sleep.

-----
Nashville, TN Song:
Swing Wide the Glimmering Gates

Kokomo, IN Songs:
Canada
New Beginning

Montague, MI Songs:
Canada
Early in the Morning

10 Comments |

Thursday

Dec182008

Twilight - A Negative (Rabbit Room) Review

Thursday, December 18, 2008 at 02:44AM

Andrew Peterson's Rabbit Room website is one of the finest iStablishments on the web and I finally took the time to write a post and become a contributor. This is a topic I somewhat covered a few months ago, but here it is in more depth. You can see the real post here, but here it is in its ridiculous glory...

------------------

So Andrew Peterson has been telling me for well over a year that I was welcome to post here at the Rabbit Room. He came to me a few days ago and said "Hey, remember that terrible book you sort of read? Want to review it on the site?" It seems like the perfect opportunity for my inaugural post. Russ Ramsey and Jason Gray write about theology and Paul Simon, I will write about teenage vampires.

To begin: I sort of read the book "Twilight". By that I mean, I read all but the last ten pages. I knew there was a sequel, which meant that at least most of the characters did not die in an atomic bomb during those last ten pages and therefore there was no ending that would have satisfied me.

"Twilight" is the worst book I've ever read. And I read half of the first "Left Behind" book. I picked it up because I was told it was in the vein of Harry Potter. I love the idea of secret societies, whole new worlds right within our own to discover and enjoy. That stuff thrills me. "Twilight" is not like that. None of the characters have any personality whatsoever, so even their illogical actions and stupid decisions aren't interesting.

One of the big scenes in the book is when the superhuman vampires play baseball. I went to Wrigley Field for the first time this year, and saw the Cubs beat the Pirates. It was cold and boring and I left after three innings. If someone had said, "would you rather watch this game with vampires playing?" I would of course have excitedly answered yes. Somehow, this book has shown me my instinct would be incorrect. Vampire baseball is also boring, and I imagine the beer is just as bland and expensive.

Basically here is the plot of this book, which you all have probably heard by now. A boring girl moves to the Pacific Northwest and meets a vampire who is mean to her, but only because he wants to eat her because he's in love with her and he's gorgeous. So he falls in love with her, because he's beautiful and that is what the author wishes would have happened to her in high school. There is an Encyclopedia Brown twist at the end (i.e. a third-grader should see it coming) and that is the big finish. Again, and unfortunately, every character is probably still alive at the end of this book.

The heart of the tale, though, lies in this simple conversation that is had, and this is no exaggeration, probably 200 or 300 times throughout the book:

Her: "I love you, you're so beautiful and perfect."
Him: "Yes, I am."Her: "But I'm so clumsy!"
Him: "Yes, you are, and I love you."
Her: "I love you, you're so beautiful and perfect. And cold."
Him: stares off in the distance, looking like a model.

If you cut that conversation out of the book it would probably be twenty pages long. And probably no better. There's also the sad commentary on how teenage girls LOVE this book, and how this girl decides to completely give up her friends, family, personality and everything else to be in a relationship with a rich, good-looking guy who treats her terribly. I hope my daughters read this when they get older and learn that valuable lesson.

And yes, I will probably watch the movie "Twilight" at some point. It looks as if the movie is somehow worse than the book, and that type of terrible is probably pretty hilarious. Like Gymkata with fangs.

-----

Tonight's songs:
Canada
Hold the Light

19 Comments |

Wednesday

Dec172008

Locked Doors

Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at 02:15PM

Can I just say how odd it is that church buildings are the most locked up places in the country? I've been in 15 churches in the last 17 days and everyone is locked like Fort Knox. There are thirty doors and only one is open, and sometimes you need a code or a card for that. Why is this? It seems odd to me, sort of the opposite of Jesus welcoming people in.

Sure, stuff might get stolen if we leave the doors open, but who cares. We're insured. We believe in eternity in heaven. The stuff we own ought to hold no sway over us. We're to give our coats and walk the second mile. Nothing can snatch us from the hand of God. So why can't we open up a few doors. Not make it quite so hard, physically or metaphorically, for people to come on in.

What are we so afraid of?

-----
Huntsville, AL Songs:
Canada
Hold the Light

Birmingham, AL Songs:
Secret Country
New Beginning

Greensboro, NC Songs:
Canada
New Beginning

27 Comments |

Monday

Dec082008

Almost there, almost there...

Monday, December 8, 2008 at 01:27PM

Andrew Peterson just stuck his head out of his bunk as I was opening the door from the back of the bus and the sound of the door and the head colliding was thunderous. Poor guy. I'm sorry I laughed.

We're stopping at a Chik-Fil-A in Knoxville right now, on our way home from New York for a day and a half off. That will be good. Both the Chik-Fil-A AND the day off. It's been a good first week of the tour. No drama, great crowds, much laughter, physical education, etc... but it will be very good to be home for a bit.

My friend Stephen passed this link along to me of Christianity Today's review of my second Letters project. CLICK HERE. It's a very nice review, and I'm thankful. For anyone interested you can purchase both volumes, and some bonus tracks, on CD right HERE or download Vol. II HERE.

All right, I believe the chicken has made its way onto the bus, so I'm going to post this before I lose this borrowed internet connection. Thanks to everyone who's made it out to a show so far. You guys have been amazing. Next stop: home. Then, Florida!

-----
Last Night's Songs:
New Beginning
Hold the Light

9 Comments |

Monday

Dec082008

Christmas Sale!!

Monday, December 8, 2008 at 12:59PM

I want to clean out my basement AND give you great gifts to give all your friends, neighbors, boyfriends, bosses, stalkers, etc...

I'm making everything cheap. T-shirts are ten bucks, CD's are twelve (except for the limited copies of Souvenirs and Postcards, which are also ten, and the special deal on Coming to Life.) If you'd like me to autograph a cd for you, just leave that in the notes section when you check out.

Shipping is $2 for 1 to 3 items, $4 for 4 to 6 items and free for anything over that. (In America, that is. International shipping rates will vary.) We'll ship them out within a day or two of your order.

So without further adieu, here are the goods...