Logocentric (adj).Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics).
Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places:
I have always enjoyed the longer distance running and skiing. The Marathon in Summer Olympics and the 50km Mass Start in the Winter. My wife can't understand how I can watch the same race for several hours. But they are fascinating to me. I like the Downhill Slalom, Bobsled and Luge sports. Attending a Winter Olympics remains on my bucket list.
My favorite sporting events in the Winter Olympics are the Luge, Bobsled, Figure Skating and curling. Initially, I thought I would be bored with curling but I'm not. It's fascinating how they determine each glide's angle and potential score.
When my children were younger we built them a luge course, they loved it. We were lucky that winter to have lots of snow to build up the walls and with some help with pallets that we covered with snow, it kept them and the neighborhood kids busy until it warmed up and melted. I was a lot more at ease with the luge course than I was when they decided to try arial jumps off our house roof. Never a dull moment when you live in Maine.
I am reading ESV through the Bible this time. Like you, I've explored a bunch of translations. My church uses NIV but my women's Bible study group (part of the same church) varies based on what Bible study we're doing.
Hope you enjoy the Olympics! I agree that the every four year thing makes them feel more special.
I read the New American Bible, which is a Catholic Bible. (NABRE) They include Tobit, Judith, 1 & 2 Maccabees, which generally aren't included in other versions of the Bible. I would be curious to read an orthodox bible or the Ethiopian Bible as I hear they have differences as well.
As for the Olympics, I love the Winter Olympics. I'm just crossing my fingers I have time to watch!
In terms of the original texts the NASB has the best reputation among conservative scholars. It looks at more translations, has a sensible hierarchy of text selection and the best principles for approaching the translation task. It favors original texts when possible. The ESV and NKJV are on a similar level. The Net Bible gives the best overview of the discussions in its commentary. The NIV renders the original text to make it more readable. It is a more functional text which is why many churches use it but it is also less precise. Greek or Russian orthodox are more Septuagint orientated and there is a considerable amount of ethical or emotional rendering to the text.The disadvantage of the NASB is that it loses much of the Hebrew poetical style in its effort to be precise as this does not translate into the English
I'm very fortunate to have met some practicing and humble Christians. Truly humble people seek to serve, not attain power and influence. The actions of many Christians make me run the opposite way... as fast as I can.
In his book, Sit, Walk, Stand, Watchman Nee states: "Nothing has done greater damage to our Christian testimony than our trying to be right and demanding right of others. We become preoccupied with what is and what is not right. We ask ourselves,' Have we been justly or unjustly treated?' and we think thus to vindicate our actions. But that is not our standard. The whole question for us is one of crossbearing".
Jeff, this is an excellent book. Perhaps one for your reading list?
Hallelujah
I'm still here, still bringing it to ya
Ohm like Buddha
Good girls know how to get hard too, ya (Uh huh)
I'm all fucked up in my Sunday best
No walk of shame 'cause I love this dress
Hungover, heart of gold, holy mess
Doin' my best (Ha), bitch, I'm blessed
Oh, if you couldn't tell
We can always find the trouble, we don't need no help
Singing oh, mama raised me well
But I don't wanna go to Heaven without raising hell (Get in)
Get it
Drop it down low, hit it, hit the floor with it
Drop it down low, drop it down low
Drop, dr-drop it down low, drop it down low (Get it)
Drop it, drop it, drop it, drop-drop-drop it down, down low
Bounce it up and down where the good Lord split it
Hands up, witness
Solo cup full of holy spirits
Something wicked (Ooh)
Speaking in tongues in my blood-red lipstick (Brrah)
I'm all fucked up in my Sunday best
No walk of shame 'cause I love this dress (Ooh)
Only God can judge this holy mess (Ah, ah)
Bitch, I'm blessed
Oh, if you couldn't tell (Oh well)
We can always find the trouble, we don't need no help
Singing oh, mama raised me well (Uh huh)
But I don't wanna go to Heaven without raising hell (Ah)
Get it
Drop it down low, hit it, hit the floor with it
Drop it down low, drop it down low
Drop, dr-drop it down low, drop it down low (Get it)
Drop it, drop it, drop it, drop-drop-drop it down, down low
Bounce it up and down where the good Lord split it
Ladies and gentlemen (Oh shit)
Let's shake what the good Lord gave us (Oh yes, baby)
Come on, let's go
Aw dang, this that shit (Uh huh)
Beat like this, wanna shake my ooh
Oh dang, this that shit
Beat like this, wanna shake my ooh
Aw dang, this that shit
Beat like this, haters, suck my ooh
Woo, Lord, feeling it
Beat like this, make me feel that power
Oh, if you couldn't tell
We can always find the trouble, we don't need no help
Singing oh, mama raised me well
But I don't wanna go to Heaven without raising hell
Can I get an amen? (Ha)
This is for the misfits of creation (Ha)
Take this as your holy validation (Let's go now, come on)
You don't need to hide your celebratin'
This is our salvation
Okay, enough with the sad songs and melancholy sentiments for a minute! I originally heard this song on the Season 10 finale of SHAMELESS when Mickey and Ian get married and I haven't stopped listening to it since. I have mixed feelings on Kesha as an artist, but there's no question that she can write an arrange a catchy song. The lyrics are just fun and the song has a great energy to it.
And, honestly, "I'm all fucked up in my Sunday best, no walk of shame 'cause I love this dress" might be one of the best might-as-well-enjoy-being-a-sinner lyrics since Billy Joel's "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints, the sinners are much more fun" line from "Only The Good Die Young."
Met you at my best friend's wedding
There was somethin' about you
You set off fireworks that evening
With a flicker of untruth
Jump twenty years, jump twenty years, twenty years, yeah
Lookin' back in retrospect
I was never safe, I was never safe, still not safe, yeah
You'd torch me any chance you'd get
I see a wildfire comin'
Burnin' the world that I've known
Watch me
Watch me outrun it
Take what I need and go
Strangest thing not having you here with me
Then I realized
That I prefer my own company
To yours anytime
In twenty years, in twenty years, twenty years, yeah
I'll still be younger than you
I'm better off, I'm better off, better off, yeah
Without your gloom and your doom
'Cause I can see a wildfire coming
Burnin' the world that I know
Watch me, watch me outrun it
Take what I need and go
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
I'm back here at my best friend's wedding
Yeah, she married again
I've never seen her look more happy
Guess from ashes we can really grow
And my wildfire's comin'
Burnin' the path that I've known
Watch me, yeah, watch me run with it
Take it wherever it goes
And I'll go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Go it alone
Go it alone
Go it alone
This is another one of those songs that I've been listening to a lot and thinking about my mom. Late last year, I was left myself a note to include The Chicks' song "Gaslighter" on my "The Soundtrack of Your Life" this year because it's a super-satisfying middle finger to Adrian Pasdar, the ex-husband of lead singer Natalie Maines and their awful divorce... but once my mom passed, this was the song I gravitated toward more and more.
The lyrics of this song remind me a lot of their prior hit "The Long Way Around" in that there's something a little bittersweet and self-reflective about the journey through life that both songs really hit on in similar ways. I've always enjoyed The Chicks' music, and their concert was - to this day - one of the best ones I've ever been to. I think they're great musicians, and incredibly courageous for braving the stuff that they've been through over the years, especially the political attacks in the early 2000s.
Songs like this are reminders of why they're so talented. They're simple and yet able to evoke a lot of emotion.
Sometimes I can't tell if anybody really even likes me
I shouldn't care but I still do and that's a little frightening
Maybe it's all in my head, maybe it's me instead
I should have stayed inside, I never should have gotten outta bed
'Cause I smoke when I drink
And I drink when I think
On top tonight but tomorrow, I'll be back at the bottom
It comes and it goes
But nobody knows
'Cause I hide everythin' in
But I got problems
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
I got problems
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
I hide everythin' in
But I got problems
Must be nice to not have to think twice 'bout everything always
Not being afraid, oh, I shouldn't say it, yeah, I miss the old days
Maybe it's all in my head, maybe it's me instead, oh
I should have stayed inside, I never should have gotten outta bed
'Cause I smoke when I drink
And I drink when I think
On top tonight but tomorrow, I'll be back at the bottom (Bottom)
It comes and it goes
But nobody knows
'Cause I hide everythin' in
But I got problems
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
I got problems
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
I hide everythin' in
But I got problems
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
I hide everythin' in
But I got problems
Yeah, I got-
I got problems
Yeah, I got, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
I hide everythin' in
But I got problems
Oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
I hide everythin' in
But I got problems
A R I Z O N A is another one of the bands that I've found recently and I'm really enjoying. I almost went with "Nostalgic" or "Oceans Away" or "Find Someone" but this is the song that introduced me to the band and I swear I must've stayed up listening to it on repeat for two hours at least. I don't know what it is, exactly, about their sound, but it really resonates with me. It's a little pop, a little alternative, a little old, a little new. These guys (and The Band CAMINO) are probably the first bands in a long time that I've listened to and can say that I think they have a pretty unique sound.
This song in particular is one that I've found helps me write. I think it's the combination of the uptempo beat and the flowing lyrics, but it's one of the few songs I've been listening to lately that just energizes me to write. I've been trying to assemble a playlist of those kinds of songs in my effort to create more content this year. I'm actually trying to do playlists of songs for each project I work on, and this one's definitely shown up on a couple of different ones at this point.
Give me a second light, I haven't smiled since yesterday
If I need to I can pay, but let me hold this 'til I feel okay
Since you burned me at the stake, all of my feelings went away
There's no feelings in my way
At least there's no feelings in my way
I was there when you were blind to everything that I could see
I'll pretend that it's just me, but maybe really it's just me
I forgot what it was like, to think I found you finally
What if you were the one for me
I hope you weren't the one for me
And I know this
I can't read it right, between the fights
I still need you
And I know this
I fell for your eyes, I just realized
I still need you
I still need you
Give me 'til twenty-three, I need another year for this
Trying to teach my common sense to not waver with my confidence
Traded my soul to free my mind, carmex to help me pass the time
Can I go back to being blind
Asked myself why one too many times
And I know this
I can't read it right, between the fights
I still need you
And I know this
I fell for your eyes, I just realized
I still need you
I still need you
I tried to say thank you, but I don't know if you heard me
I know it wasn't your plan, to just be the one to hurt me
My thoughts versus my feelings, my thoughts on you hit the ceiling
But my feelings aren't a real thing
If I feel things I don't really deserve
And I know this
I can't read it right, between the fights
I still need you
And I know this
I fell for your eyes, I just realized
I still need you
And I know this
I can't read it right, between the fights
I still need you
And I know this
I fell for your eyes, I just realized
I still need you
I still need you
I still need you
I still need you
I still need you
This was a hard song to pick because The Band CAMINO is probably my favorite newly-discovered band this year. As I mentioned in my prior blog post "Changes for 2021" , I'm trying to spend less time consuming content so that I can create more of it, and a big part of that has been listening to a lot more music and finding new artists. The Band CAMINO has such an incredibly diverse sound, and I'm really impressed with their lyrics. I'm strongly considering doing one of their albums for "Musicology Anthology" later this year as well.
While I almost went with "The Black and White" or their amazing collaboration "Crying Over You" with Chelsea Cutler, this is the song I probably play on repeat the most often. It's another of the songs I've been listening to when I want to remember my mom (spoiler alert: that's probably going to be a popular theme in my "The Soundtrack of Your Life" this year).
Here's to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here but you're not
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you
There's a time that I remember
When I did not know no pain
When I believed in forever
And everything would stay the same
Now my heart feel like December
When somebody say your name
'Cause I can't reach out to call you
But I know I will one day, yeah
Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ay ay
But everything gon' be alright
Go on raise a glass and say, ay
Here's to the ones that we got
Cheers to the wish you were here but you're not
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through
Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you
Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
There's a time that I remember
When I never felt so lost
When I felt all of the hatred
Was too powerful to stop (ooh, yeah)
Now my heart feel like an ember
And it's lighting up the dark
I'll carry these torches for ya
That you know I'll never drop, yeah
Everybody hurts sometimes
Everybody hurts someday, ay ay
But everything gon' be alright
Go on raise a glass and say, ay
Here's to the ones that we got (oh, oh)
Cheers to the wish you were here but you're not
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
Of everything we've been through (no, no)
Toast to the ones here today (ay)
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories (ay)
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you
Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
Doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo (ooh, yeah)
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no
Memories bring back, memories bring back you
It wouldn't be a true "The Soundtrack of Your Life" without including a deeply personal song, and one that I've been listening to a lot this year. This is probably the track I've listened to the most since my mom passed in early November, mostly because I find the line "'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories, and the memories bring back, memories bring back you" to be a bittersweet sentiment. While the drinking isn't really something that I relate to, I can definitely relate to the idea of spending time trying to dredge up memories because the memories are a way of bringing my mom back so I can remember her again.
I honestly don't know how long it takes to grieve a loss like this, or if you ever really get past it but, for now, I'm content to have a handful of songs like this that help me grieve by reminding me of all the memories I can use to bring her back (in a way) whenever I want.
On a side note, I'm including this version of the song with a delightful animated story of a little girl who dreams of being an astronaut. The song loops a bit and it's not a perfect rendition but, honestly, this is a 1000x better video than the official one which is yet another "hey let's just hold the camera close on Adam Levine's face while he sings" video. Do yourself a favor and watch this version... it's delightful.
Comment 
Do yourself a favor and watch this version... it's delightful.