I’m thankful for my blogging friends. I haven’t met the majority of you, but you often make my day with your comments and/or emails.
I try not to think too much, it makes me constipated. The last time I thought, I was constipated for a week.
It doesn’t surprise me, but I’m often amazed how people can bring divisive political talk when the topic at hand isn’t related to politics.
People are passionate when it comes to politics, but a lot of times I find Christians being unchristian when the passion of their hearts start to overflow.
This weekend I tried to update the WordPress software for this website, and I failed, miserable. For a while, I actually lost everything I ever created and then couldn’t get it back to normally. So as of right now I have the old version of WordPress, and was lucky that I was able to use some old files that I saved to get it back up and running. Right now when I look at my files I have about three of everything.
WifeGeeding and I watched the movie Big Fish this weekend. It’s a movie I wanted to see over the years, but never really made an effort because it’s a Tim Burton movie, and I’m not that fond of his work; but a few months ago I was able to get it on the Tivo. Overall, good movie, and it had one absolutely beautiful ending. For those of you that don’t much about the movie, it’s basically about a dad at the end of his life who loves to tell tall tales every chance he gets and a son who becomes annoyed by the tales and his father. The movie had WifeGeeding and I tearing up quite a bit at the end. For her, it made her think of her father and how he has never met a stranger, and for me, it reminded me a lot of not only the relationship I had with my father, but also his death, as I was the only one there when my father died and how I had to make the most difficult call of my life . . . calling Mom after he took his last breath. Granted, I’ve been through some life events that made this movie special to me so I have some perspective, but if you are looking for one of those movies that will make you appreciate your father, give this one a try.
I think another really good “dad movie” is Field of Dreams, especially this scene. I sometimes tear up when Coster summons up the courage to ask that question.
I was just going to link to that one part with the question, but I love that whole scene as it builds up to that moment.
That movie is now 20 years old.
I thought the woman who played his wife did a good job, but every time I see that movie I always wonder why they didn’t find someone more attractive.
The new U2 album continues to grow on me, and I have to thank their performance on Letterman all last week. Those songs sound so much better live than on the album, and after exploring the lyrics I’m starting to understand the beauty of the new album, especially with all the Biblical imagery. Thursday’s show was my favorite, it included just about everything in pop culture that I really like: Letterman, Jon Stewart, and U2.
Details of their new tour should be released today, and from what I hear it’s going to be great – a 360 degree stage in a stadium atmosphere. So it looks like they will be playing in the new Cowboys stadium, that is, if that big-over-the-field-HDTV doesn’t get in the way. If they don’t play there, I imagine they’ll be in the Cotton Bowl. Man, Jerry should have got them to open up the new place to start off their tour.
The one thing I love about U2 is how they make an effort to please the fans. For instance, the closest seats are the cheapest.
I’ve loved the new U2 songs from my first listen. I’m surprised to hear that you (and others) started appreciating them most when heard live. It could be that I’ve been listening on my in-ear headphones, LOUDLY on my train commute to work, which is similar to hearing them live.
I’m also surprised that Magnificent has such broad appeal (your previous post). It’s basically a Christian “praise and worship” song! (Justified / You and I will magnify / Oh, the Magnificent). I’m not sure how someone couldn’t hear the Christian language in that, but many think the “I was born to sing for you” verse is Bono declaration that he was born to sing for the fans. But any person who has been to church knows this isn’t a message for fellow humans:
I was born. I was born to sing for you.
I didn’t have a choice but to lift you up.
And sing whatever song you wanted me to.
I give you back my voice.
From the womb my first cry, it was a joyful noise.
I guess the people who think that’s a song about the fans wouldn’t know the Gospel if it hit ’em in the ears!
“People are passionate when it comes to politics, but a lot of times I find Christians being unchristian when the passion of their hearts start to overflow.”
I too enjoyed Big Fish from the perspective of celebrating my father, who I had the honor of being with while he drew his final breathe. After watching my father’s struggle with cancer and knowing how much he looked foward to heaven, watching the son release his father at the end was very similar to the feeling of freedom that allowed me to release my father at the end. I believe most men can remember seeing their dad as larger than life, but unlike the son in the movie, I always wanted my dad to tell big stories, instead of being the strong silent type. Ultimately I was blessed with an awesome role model that didn’t require a neon sign to announce it and even more important, a great way to picture my heavenly Father.
NLOTH (lovely acronym) reminds me a ton of achtung baby in feel. I’m so happy they ditched Rick Rubin in favor of Eno/Lanois – their best work has come from that duo, IMO.
I love that it’s dense, I love that it’s taken me a while to get used to, but you’re right, the lyrics did a lot for me. Breathe goes by too fast to appreciate without reading the lyrics.
I’ve loved the new U2 songs from my first listen. I’m surprised to hear that you (and others) started appreciating them most when heard live. It could be that I’ve been listening on my in-ear headphones, LOUDLY on my train commute to work, which is similar to hearing them live.
I’m also surprised that Magnificent has such broad appeal (your previous post). It’s basically a Christian “praise and worship” song! (Justified / You and I will magnify / Oh, the Magnificent). I’m not sure how someone couldn’t hear the Christian language in that, but many think the “I was born to sing for you” verse is Bono declaration that he was born to sing for the fans. But any person who has been to church knows this isn’t a message for fellow humans:
I guess the people who think that’s a song about the fans wouldn’t know the Gospel if it hit ’em in the ears!
🙂
“People are passionate when it comes to politics, but a lot of times I find Christians being unchristian when the passion of their hearts start to overflow.”
Amen.
I too enjoyed Big Fish from the perspective of celebrating my father, who I had the honor of being with while he drew his final breathe. After watching my father’s struggle with cancer and knowing how much he looked foward to heaven, watching the son release his father at the end was very similar to the feeling of freedom that allowed me to release my father at the end. I believe most men can remember seeing their dad as larger than life, but unlike the son in the movie, I always wanted my dad to tell big stories, instead of being the strong silent type. Ultimately I was blessed with an awesome role model that didn’t require a neon sign to announce it and even more important, a great way to picture my heavenly Father.
NLOTH (lovely acronym) reminds me a ton of achtung baby in feel. I’m so happy they ditched Rick Rubin in favor of Eno/Lanois – their best work has come from that duo, IMO.
I love that it’s dense, I love that it’s taken me a while to get used to, but you’re right, the lyrics did a lot for me. Breathe goes by too fast to appreciate without reading the lyrics.
And magnificent…wow. Great, great song.