Error: I'm afraid this is the first I've heard of a "rss" flavoured Blosxom. Try dropping the "/+rss" bit from the end of the URL.

Aug 30 2005

Ode to Podcasts
Podcasts are awesome!! I am subscribed to at least 5 that I listen to regularly. My favorite is TWiT - This week in Tech with Leo Laporte and the gang. This is the funnest most informative podcast out there. Others I listen too are diggnation, Security Now, the MacCast, and Ebert and Roeper. #

Aug 25 2005

The Best of You
I recently listened to this new song by the Foo Fighters called Best of You and I have to say it is a reallly inspiring song to me. I have done a little research (on the Internet of course) into what others think about this song and it has spoken to a lot of people, in many different ways. I think this song has a message that applies to my faith that not to many people online have come out and said. Listing to the song it seems like the artist is really showing two sides to his life. Moving on from something that he knows is hurting him or "getting the best of him", and then what he eventually does to "give the best of him"

Here is the opening:
I've got another confession to make I'm your fool
Everyone's got their chains to break Holdin' you

Were you born to resist or be abused?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

 In the opening, I am reminded of how many times I have told myself that what I am doing is not right... I feel like I am telling that sin that "I've got another confession to make, I'm your fool Everyone's got their chains to break Holdin' you" Sin takes hold of everyone and gets the best of us. It abuses us and holds us back from really living... It's killing us.

In the next section continues on this trail and reminds me of all the times I have been tripped up in my faith and how it effects me. How I try to turn away from the bad choices, decisions, habits, etc. And given the choice of life or death I can't choose, but God in me has given me the determination to refuse the life the world has presented me with.

Are you gone and onto someone new?
I needed somewhere to hang my head
Without your noose
You gave me something that I didn't have
But had no use
I was too weak to give in
Too strong to lose
My heart is under arrest again
But I break loose
My head is giving me life or death
But I can't choose
I swear I'll never give in, I refuse

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
You trust, you must, Confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

 Now this is the part in the song that is my favorite because I feel like here is where he turns it around and turns back to the Father and he is given hope.

Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
You trust, you must, Confess

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

 The difference in the Chorus is important: "Has someone taken your faith? Its real, the pain you feel. The life, the love. You die to heal. The hope that starts. The broken hearts. You trust, you must, Confess..." All life and love that we had is gone when sin takes hold... then hope starts and change happens. There will be broken hearts because of change (especially your own). God becomes that someone that gets the best of you. God deserves the best of you.

The song ends like this:
I've got another confession my friend I'm no fool,
I'm getting tired of starting again, Somewhere new

Were you born to resist or be abused?
I swear I'll never give in, I refuse

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
You trust, you must, Confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

 The last section continues on that same track... I think he is talking to God telling Him that he isn't a fool. The artist is telling God that he wants to not start over agian with some other sin that will take him away from Him. The differences in this verse from the first one are important as well... He calls God his friend. He confesses that he has astrayed and doesn't want to go in another direction again starting over somewhere new. This part reminds me of how many times I have come to Christ and layed it all down and said I want to live for you... I want to not turn to something else, only what you have in store for my life. I want to give you the best of me.

Is someone getting the best of you, or is sin getting the best of you? That is the question I see posed in this song. #

Aug 22 2005

Red Eye
Last Saturday I saw Red Eye with my twin brother at Cinema Center, and I have to say that this movie wasn't as good as I suspected. I guess my problem is that I go into most movies that have been pitched well with expectations of it being an outstanding movie. A knock you socks off thiller. Well, this wasn't the case with this movie. I definately like the acting in this movie. Rachel McAdams and Cillian Murphy (also in Batman Begins as Scarecrow) had great chemistry on screen, which made for some intense, suspensful moments. But, this movie became overly predictable at times, and just didn't keep me in suspense all that long. I guess in the words of Yoda: a thiller this movie was not. Bottom line if you like Wes Craven films, you will like Red Eye, but it is definately not his best work. 5 out of 10, go see it if you like Wes, otherwise wait for the DVD on this one. #

Aug 17 2005

Four Brothers
Yesterday Bo, my church's soon to be Youth Pastor, and I went and saw Four Brothers at AMC. All I can say is this, I liked the movie but if you are not a fan of strong language and realistic gang-like violence then this is not your film (go see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory instead). The last John Singelton film I saw was Shaft with the man, Samuel L. Jackson, in it and I have to say I liked Shaft better than Four Brothers because this film was a lot different than Shaft. Sure they both have rappers tring to be actors (Busta Rhymes and Andre 3000) but this film had much more violence in it. The type of movie is the same, but the intensity of Four Brothers was a lot different. I give this film a 5 out of 10. Good plot, great acting by all of the four leads, tense action, but the style of violence combined with the language in this film was just too much for me. #

Aug 11 2005

Most Popular 1000 Names of the Millenium
Was browsing today and found a blog that had a link to the Social Security office which had the most popular baby names. You can see the top 5 names for each state as well as find out what the most popular baby names for each year and decade. Interesting note: my name was 15th, the highest of the decades listed, in the 1930s. Currently, my name is 106th this millenium. I would like to welcome the 18,668 Kenneths born in the last 5 years to the USA. #

Aug 10 2005

WindizUpdate
Wow... there is this great site I found today by listing to the TWiT (This week in Tech) podcast. It's called WindizUpdate and it is Windows Update for Mozilla FireFox. It seemed like this is an impossible thing to me as Microsoft is in control of the updates and I thought you could only get updates only via Windows Update. The other thing is for all of those people with Windows 95/98/2000 the updates for those versions are also out there as well. This is a good thing for me because I refuse to upgrade to XP on my home system; Window 2000 SP4 is a lot more reliable, stable, and fixable than XP SP2. #

Aug 09 2005

The Island
[Sigh]Movies... I seriously need to find something else to blog about... Anyway, The Island a Michael Bay production, is quite an interesting Sci-Fi movie. As far as summer blockbusters go for this year, The Island is one that if you like Sci-Fi you shouldn't miss. Sure Michael Bay is a little long winded (2hr. 16min movie) but the time just flew because it is filled with action, great scenery, and really good special effects (nothing over the top or obvious). I really enjoyed this film. Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson have great chemistry on screen and I didn't think of Star Wars (since Ewan is Obi-Wan Kenobi) once during the movie. Plus Michael Clarke Duncan (The Scorpion King, Balthazar), and Sean Bean (Equilibrium, LOTR, National Treasure) are in this film, who could ask for more. 8 out of 10, very good sci-fi movie, seamless CG, great special effects, and an awesome car chase (oh and the car was breathtaking, a futuristic Cadillac). #