Archive for the ‘Friends’ Category

A Sad Time Dwarfed by a Happy One

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Posted 06 Aug 2008 — by nick
Category Apple, Family, Friends, Fun, Technology

This comes as old news to whatever reader base still exists for this blog: but I broke my iPhone about a month ago. Pulled it out of my pocket while at work and dropped it on ceramic tile, shattering the screen.

Here have a look:
Pretty bad huh?

This all happened Thursday afternoon July 10th. My mind was a bit occupied that day. Earlier that week I purchased an expensive piece of jewelery, drove to Michigan and back to talk to a beautiful woman’s parents, Friday I had planned a romantic evening and asking an important question of said beautiful woman.

Unfortunately, Friday July 11th was also the release of the new iPhone 3G. Getting a replacement iPhone has not been an easy task. Repairing the old iPhone conveniently cost the same price as buying a brand new one. Guess which one I did?

I got my 3G iPhone on Monday and I’m just glad to have a working phone again that I can read my email on and make calls and such.

Right now I have an ebay auction going for the old broken iPhone, we’ll see if I can make up some of the cost of a clumsy, nervous mistake.

Oh, and she said YES! Meet my Fiancee. I’m hoping to post the story and some pictures in the coming days.

Happy Birthday Smooth, Jazz

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Posted 25 Jul 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, Fun, Photos, Technology

Today my roommate known as Smooth, Jazz Dawg celebrated the anniversary of his birth. Oddly enough his twin brother was also celebrating. Much fun was had this evening, Halo 3 was the theme – unintentionally though. Cakes in the shape of Xbox 360 remotes, a cake in the the shape of Valhalla (a multiplayer map) and this quick-and-dirty ridiculousness I pulled together:


Hooray Matt!

Keepon Dancing – Don’t You Evah

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Posted 30 May 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, Fun, music, Videos

I owe props to Ben Chase for pointing this out a while back, but thought I’d take a chance and post something light and easy to get back into the swing of posting more regularly.

(Click on the image to watch the video on YouTube)

In the past year or so Spoon has launched themselves into my standard music rotation and proved worthy of being listed in my top ten list. They do a lot of fun and interesting things with beats, breaking your expectations and fun vocal stuff – allowing them to catch my ear and spark my interest. If you don’t have any of their albums, I’d suggest starting with their newest: Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. Check them out on iTunes or eMusic.

Current Favorite Spoon Tracks:
Don’t You Evah (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
The Way We Get By (Kill the Moonlight)
Sister Jack (Gimme Fiction)
Finer Feelings (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga)
Stay Don’t Go (Kill the Moonlight)

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Now playing: Spoon – Stay Don’t Go
via FoxyTunes

Happy Birthday To You

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Posted 29 May 2008 — by nick
Category Creation, Friends, Photos

Today marks the anniversary of this beautiful woman’s birth. Happy Birthday Amy!

Cure for the Pain

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Posted 25 Mar 2008 — by nick
Category Darkness, Friends, Jesus, Light, music, Spirituality

Tonight while hanging out with the Dawgs “Cure for the Pain” by Jon Foreman filled our small dinning room. This song pulls tears from me no matter the emotional state I’m in. The cause: maybe the sadness in Jon’s voice, maybe the ways it reminds me of how I’ve tried to cure my pain, or the ways I know trying to run would simply be a lie. Either way, tonight it causes me to stop and reflect on the healing journey God has me on and how these days I don’t feel quite as lonely as I once did. The tears change from ones of sadness to ones of thankfulness and remembrance.

And here tonight while the stars are blacking out
With every hope and dream I’ve ever had in doubt
I’ve spent ten years trying to sing these doubts away
But the water keeps on falling from my eyes

And heaven knows, heaven knows
I tried to find a cure for the pain
Oh my lord! to suffer like you do
It would be a lie to run away

Tomorrow Spring the next seasonal EP is released and I’ll be picking it up for sure. You can get it the EP’s here.

Music: Turrell and Foreman

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Posted 15 Mar 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, music, Poetry, Winter

On recommendation of Paste Magazine I recently picked up Ford Turrell‘s debut album and Jon Foreman’s Fall and Winter EP’s.

To say I’m pleased with these finds would be an understatement.

The Jon Foreman EPs weren’t to much of a risk – I’ve been a long running fan of Switchfoot and Jon’s song writing. Raw, real and emotional come to mind as I stretch to describe them. The depressing undercurrent of Winter makes me think Jon and I might share some of the same predisposition to seasonal sadness (come soon Spring!).
Favorite Tracks: Behind Your Eyes (amazing track), A Cure for the Pain, Equally Skilled

Because of my affinity for Ray LaMontagne‘s work, I picked this album up. I might describe Ford’s style as a pleasing middle between the smoky voice and poetic lyrics of Ray LaMontagne and the folk sound and easy of Amos Lee. By the third spinning of this album I had decided I liked it, it took a couple listens, not an instant favorite. The same was true for Ray and Amos for me though. I’m glad I gave it a couple spins, it’s becoming a favorite.
Favorite Tracks: The Stillest Hour, Listen to Your Heartbeat

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Now playing: Jon Foreman – Learning How to Die
via FoxyTunes

I’m So White

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Posted 12 Mar 2008 — by nick
Category Blogs, Friends, Fun

Recently Amy brought it to my attention, with the help of this blog, that I am white. Examples of my whiteness: being a vegetarian, running marathons, snowboarding, listening to public radio, a love for indie music, a love for the outdoors, the list goes on and on. Basically reading this blog I feel pretty pegged.

They nailed it today though: Outdoor Performance Clothing.

I walk around with a smile wearing my ARC’TERYX fleece or my Mountain Hardwear conduit softshell, knowing my jackets are super sweet even if others don’t know the logo or the brand and that I paid more for them than you would think reasonable. A grin and kinship sparks when I see another gear nerd sporting their outerwear and we sigh at the frat-boy strutting in his North Face fleece oblivious to the fabric technology and engineering that has gone into his pop culture status symbol.

A related blog, I’ve found pretty hilarious: White Whine, IE things white people whine about.

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Now playing: Snow Patrol – Chocolate
via FoxyTunes

Scientology Protest

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Posted 10 Feb 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, News, Photos, Spirituality, Videos

Longtime friends of the Dawg Haus will remember we are located next-door to the Champaign branch of the Church of Scientology – a fact several folks have found humorous. Recently this group has found it’s way into the news and not on such great terms. There is the Tom Cruise viral video, the Anonymous response video, DDoS on Scientology’s website, and today a worldwide organized protest.

Camped out on our front couches, some of us dawgs grabbed our morning coffee and breakfast and became spectators of the event unfolding next-door.


We have a civil and cordial relationship with our neighbors – none of us would agree with their beliefs but we see them as human beings deserving of love and respect regardless of how misguided they may be. It’s this fact that makes me uneasy about the protest. I’ve been thinking a lot this year about how effective protesting is (part in reference to the call of Christians to boycott The Golden Compass and further with this protest though it’s not officially religiously affiliated).


Do signs, shouting, and name calling do more than cause the targeted group to bunker down and solidify further in their beliefs?

I’m not saying these protesters are hoping to persuade the scientologist, I’m just questioning if it’s affective at persuading those passing by. My hunch is not and thus I conclude they’re just creating a stand-off between themselves and those inside the “church” each side growing in their belief in the other being wrong and growing in dislike.

What do you think?

(PS: A very few more photo’s can be found on my picasa account. I didn’t take many.)

Sigur Rós – ‘Heima’

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Posted 31 Jan 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, music, Videos

It never fails. Just after finishing that last post Chris calls me into the other room to show me a trailer for this new Sigur Rós DVD/Documentary thing. I’m pretty interested in checking it out. Here is the trailer for your viewing pleasure.

Once

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Posted 21 Jan 2008 — by nick
Category Friends, Fun, Movies, music

This weekend I had the chance to watch an excellent film, a rarity, the excellent part. Receiving high praise from friends whose musical taste I trust I decided it worth the adventure and rented Once to watch with Amy on Friday night. The film had been sold to me as a musical romance between two budding musicians, complete with a soundtrack begging to be purchased.

You need to see this film.

At first, describing the film as a musical left me uncomfortable. (This can probably be chalked up my general distaste for genre and misunderstanding of how everything is classified as either a “comedy” or “drama”). Thinking about it now, I am more content describing it as a musical. In all honesty, the story is told through the music. The characters lack names yet feel complete enough to be a good friend – we learn about them through their music and bond with them as their pain pours through their voices. After all, isn’t this part of the draw of music, the stories songs tell, the emotions they invoke, their empathy.

In honor of not sharing plot points or ruining the film for others, I’ll end on this note. My enjoyment resides strongly on the amazing soundtrack but also in the themes presented. Watching, I was reminded of the goodness of remaining faithful to commitment, the pain and worthwhileness of forgiving, the beauty of romance and the honor in being a person of moral character.

PS: The film has a low budget or indie film feel due to it’s minuscule budget of $160,000. More interesting back story, including how neither of the main characters are or plan on being professional actors, can be found here on the ever helpful wikipedia.

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