burrito wednesday.

a conversation i overheard yesterday while waiting outside room 134 in the derby dining center:

girl: hey brian, are you going to burrito wednesday today?
guy: what's burrito wednesday?
girl: it's when you eat burritos for lunch on wednesday. its today.
guy: wait. what?

-ap.

the resurrection of "the OC".

it is freaking freezing in kansas.

granted most of you know this. 90% of my frequenters are from kansas, and the other 10% are mostly comprised of iowa, oklahoma, missouri and utah - the first three due to friends and family, the last one due to my recent interest in absurd religions. whether this is old news or not, the fact still remains that it is currently 4 degrees and 11 degrees in manhattan and kansas city respectively.

i hate cold weather. it makes me want to do nothing. like at all. which is most unfortunate considering the amount of school work i've had to generate in the last 2 weeks. but i'm almost done. after noon today - just two more exams to go. and then just one more semester to go and i will have graduated college. it will likely be around 75 degrees outside the day i graduate. how pleasant. i will not be avoiding the outdoors in may like i have been this december.

however, one perk to nasty cold weather: plenty of time to watch the best tv show to ever air: The OC.

don't you dare knock it if you haven't tried it. yes, i will concede, i have a history of hating on things i haven't tried (i.e. tumblr, the twilight series, green beans, etc.), but this is different. okay. no. it's not different. but i'm begging you - give it a shot.

reason #1 to love the OC: seth cohen. adam brody's character is easily the funniest television character ever. terrific sarcasm coupled with a never-ending wit. he is the source of an endless supply of one-liners. he jokes at inappropriate times and makes light of situations far more serious than he lets on. and he has an unbelievable wardrobe*. also he has great hair...but i'm probably biased.

anyway. since a winter wonderland has manifested itself outside and has brought with it nearly sub-zero temperatures, i have been able to watch the first three discs of season 1 in the past 4 days. i'm productive while i do this (usually) - reading, studying, eating, cleaning, etc. there are few things i enjoy more than the never-ending emotional turmoil and excessive hoots of laughter spurred by seth cohen love triangles.

i have a history of converting people too. i think my OC conversion count is somewhere around 15 people. all haters turned obsessive lovers in the course of a few hours. never will a show capture me like this one. not even the office, lost, arrested development, project runway, heroes**, jonny quest, or any other show i've ever watched on a regular basis. the OC easily beats them all. i'm not even sure pat sajak and vanna white can trump this one. okay maybe them. but game shows are a totally different arena.

so thank you to the cold weather for resurrecting my love for the OC.

-ap.

* - it may by unknown to many, but seth cohen is the source of my love for the puffer vest. (see espisode 1.12 "the secret") and then kanye west and pharrell williams copped his style, confirming my love for all three individuals as well as their wardrobes.

** - for the record: heroes is the only one on that list that i did not enjoy.

an invitation to environmental sociology: community.

i'm taking my environmental sociology final in 2 hours - so naturally, i'm reading the material the exam covers for the first time right now: chapters 10 and 11 in "an invitation to environmental sociology - 2nd edition" by michael mayerfield bell.

unlike the course material in my other 4 classes this semester - i've read almost every page of this book. i slacked around chapters 7 and 8 due to time constraints and just skimmed it, but chapters 1-6 and 9-11 i have read word for word. interesting that my grade will reflect my dedication to the reading. i currently have a 94% in the class and have to pull a 78% on the final to keep my A. banner day - i'm proud of my grades today.

it's rare to develop a perspective on life via a textbook. well, at least it is for me. i guess a lot of people could read history texts or something and formulate their world view accordingly, but this is not something i take part in regularly. the word "text" in front of the word "book" is typically something i shy away from. perhaps i've been conditioned to avoid them by the textbook monopoly created by varney's in manhattan - overpriced and no where else to go. or it's probably just their relation to school - an institution for which i've developed a great discomfort over the last 17 years.

but i'm really excited that i spent the time to read this text. chapters 10 and 11 have taken this 350 page textbook in an extremely interesting direction. the book's early chapters center around consumption, production, and the interconnectivity of society and the environment - put simply: we shapes the environment and the environment shapes us in return.

chapter 10 centers on the idea of the "tragedy of commons" - a theory by garret hardin. a quick overview of this idea: if there are a bunch of herdsmen who share a pasture who each have a bunch of sheep and they want to maximize productivity they might do it by adding a sheep or two to their flock. but if all the herdsmen add some sheep then there will be too many sheep for the pasture and there wont be enough grass for the sheep to eat and the land will die and so will the sheep. therefore, by adding a few sheep each herdsman has now lost sheep and, in turn, productivity.

this translates over to things like pollution and hunting/fishing. lets say theres a community by a lake. one individual has some waste product that they decide to throw in the lake cause its the cheapest way to dispose of it. it's not a huge deal - just a little pollution. but when everyone does it in small portions it has drastic effects and ruins the lake. likewise in hunting and fishing, if everyone catches and kills more than they need then there will very quickly be nothing to shoot or catch. its a "you killed 589 lbs but were only able to carry 200 lbs back to the wagon" type of situation. if everyone wastes half a buffalo then there wont be any buffalo left to shoot. this is a true story. love oregon trail.

none of this probably sounds exciting to you. but what came next is why i loved it: common ownership (which we all have in sharing the environment) relies heavily on community. there is a relationship between interest and sentiment between one another. this is how hardin's "tragedy" is avoided - through communication, common interest, participation and an avoidance of individualism.

individualism versus community. that is what environmental sociology ultimately centers on? it was surprising to hear, but really awesome to hear. dialogue between people is how any sort of effective social and environmental change takes place. when we take each others interests into account we can easily avoid the destruction so imminent in hardin's theory.

the interesting thing for me reading this is how central to christianity this sounds. in terms of taking care of "God's green earth" but also in terms of life in general. the idea of change and growth through community is something that America has lost sight of almost entirely. urban sprawl has us driving a car by ourself every day to work and having very little interaction outside our home. and when home becomes work - as it does for most everyone through taking care of kids, paying bills, cleaning and fixing things, etc - then it increases this disparity even more. but that through communication and interaction we can not only increase our own growth and achieve our own interests, but also assist in the growth and interests of others. the fact that production and consumption culminate to an ultimate emphasis on community is something very cool about society and how it functions.

it paints a really cool picture about what really matters in life. typically there is the phrase "you can't take it with you" when we talk about material-related topics like production and consumerism. but this trust-based and community-centered relationship between sentiments and interests boils material success and personal gain down to the importance of community anyway. which is what is really matters in life.

success is more effectively achieved through relationships and communication. what an awesome idea. one that ought to be focused on more in this success-driven (yet completely individualistic) society we live in today. very interesting.

-ap.

kc sports: what a thrilling topic.

one of the great things about rooting for sucky teams is that you get used to disappointment and your heart isn't broken as often as it might be if you had some sort of expectation. so when the chiefs pull what they did on sunday it's pretty easy to shrug your shoulders and think "hey. draft pick sizzler."

one of the crappy things about rooting for sucky teams is that sometimes they don't have playoff success for decades, and while some teams are acquiring c.c. sabathia and a.j. burnett simultaneously, i get to celebrate the signing of kyle farnsworth to a two-year deal.

-ap.

why tim tebow will win the heisman.

because this season has boiled down to the following question:

SEC or Big 12?

and the heisman voters will pick according to which quarterback is the BEST in the BEST conference. half pick the SEC. half pick the Big 12.

colt mccoy and sam bradford will split the votes given to the Big 12. and tim tebow will get all the votes given to the SEC. and tim tebow will reign for the second season in a row.

thats my take. have any thoughts? comments? concerns? i don't have a tumblr so feel free to leave any of them here.

-ap.

do what you love.

i've been living with my friend nick for the last 3.5 years. nick is graduating in four days and leaving for kansas city. he's going to be missed in manhattan - especially on elaine drive. he's stepping into a job at Garmin where he gets to build and break and fix things. this is also what britney spears has done with her career.

last night nick was showing me his latest project: some sort of wacky voice distorter. he built the board and attached wires and knobs and switches and put it all inside a neat little cardboard casing and plugged it into his computer so that when he jiggles the knobs and flips the switches his voice is altered to sounding like some sort of robot/theramin/exhaust pipe.

as he was showing me this i first thought "freaking sweet. how on earth is anyone capable of doing this?" and then i thought "it's awesome that he'll be doing what makes him happy as a career" and then i thought "do i possess any skills that will translate to my life after college that are this impressive?" i decided that i don't. at least not ones as impressive as his. however, i do really enjoy making fun of middle school girls' obsession with the Twilight series.

my point is that it really excites me when i see individuals doing what they love and what God created them to do. whether that be mechanical engineering, elementary education, making music, accounting, hotel and restaurant management, youth ministry, professional bowling, painting or whatever - it's really cool seeing people excelling and planning a life built around what they love. that's how it ought to be.

-ap.

most obvious reason why ou probably deserves it.

this stat was really surprising to me. no other team comes close to OU's winning percentage against Top 30 teams. their 6-1 record is by far more impressive than any other team (only loss to texas on neutral turf).

i'm peeved by the bcs just as much as the next guy - but i think they got it right this year.

-ap.

bowl thoughts.

the bcs still sucks, but whining about it does nothing. so...

good things about this year's national championship:

the winner of the big xii is playing the winner of the sec. these were the most dominant conferences in football this year. florida handled alabama for their spot, and oklahoma handled missouri for their spot. both of these teams deserve their shot at the bcs championship game.

the big ten is not in it. finally we have a game between two evenly matched teams. ohio state will not get rolled over in the national championship game (though they will likely get rolled over by the longhorns in the fiesta bowl instead). that ought to be fun to watch.

bad things about this year's national championship:

the longhorns got screwed. if oklahoma wins and the longhorns destroy the buckeyes like they should, then texas will have a serious argument for why they should have been in the championship game. texas beat oklahoma on neutral field earlier this season, but oklahoma dazzled the bcs voters enough to get them a shot against mizzou in kc yesterday. (the bcs vote was the 5th tie-breaker in the big xii south.)

why'd it have to be ou and florida? i'm so tired of seeing the gators in championship games, and (besides ku) the sooners are the last team in the world i'd want to root for.

i will be rooting for the sooners against the gators this year. the big xii deserves this one this year. sure alabama and florida are great teams, but after that the league stinks. imagine if florida had texas, oklahoma state, missouri, and texas tech on their schedule. you think florida ends 12-1 with THAT schedule? looks a lot tougher than florida state, georgia, lsu, south carolina.

that having been said, i will be rooting for the big xii and against the sec in every bowl game. except maybe for ku against whoever they play in the insight bowl (probably minnesota) - man i hate ku.

-ap.

prop 8: the musical.

everyone needs to watch this video. everyone. there is so much truth, humor, and genius found in this. best line in the whole thing:

"well then friend, it seems to me you pick and choose (we pick and choose!) - so please choose love instead of hate - besides, your nation was built on separation of church and staaaaaate!!"

amen jack. this video is good on so many levels. high five to jack black for speaking truth in a hilarious way. i'm so tired of the church dictating what people can and can't do in a way that is so hurtful. do we condone gay marriage? no. but is there a distinction between Christ's morals and the morals this government enforces? absolutely.

perhaps we should focus on loving individuals (read: homosexuals) for who they are rather than trying our hardest to restrict things we see as sinful. does that seem very loving to you? many gays don't even believe it to be a sin. what if we outlawed ALL sins? should we outlaw alcohol? fine the use of swear words?

the church needs to remember that it is not up to the government to enforce God's laws. and every time we try to make God's laws and the laws of this nation the same thing there are thousands of hurt individuals left furious at the church and so much more unlikely to come to Christ. why can't we realize that love is the answer and not hate?

what a rant. watch that video and enjoy it. i'll leave you with this california church billboard:

-ap.

december 4th.

there are certain days where you simply must respect certain musical artists by dedicating the day to listening to their music. however, it is rare for these days to manifest themselves as an annual event. usually it's just phrased "today is a (insert artist here) day."

however. today is a jay-z day. as is every december 4th. there is a point during every december 4th when i remember jay-z's mother on track 2 of the black album: "shawn carter was born december 4th..." and my day is immediately altered.

example: i'm currently at my favorite manhattan coffee shop (the one that didn't screw me out of a job) writing a paper. i was listening to johnny cash and just chuggin along without any idea how my day was about to change. then i went to read my introduction and realized i hadn't included the date in my header at the top of my essay.

12/4/08.

and i realized it. oh goll. 'shawn carter was born december 4th.'
later jc*. hola hovito.

im not sure if there is any other artist that constitutes an annual musical adjustment to my life than jay-z. good thing i have 212 different jay-z items in my itunes on 8 albums, 1 accapella album, 5 mash-up albums and an additional 23 tracks as a featured artist. this translates to 14.2 hours of audio. ought to be plenty of time to get me through a day packed with article reading, studying and paper writing.

i'll leave you with three of my favorite jay-z tracks.
minority report - jay-z (feat. ne-yo)
produced by dr. dre
album: kingdom come (2006)


heart of the city (ain't no love) - jay-z (feat. bobby bland)
produced by kanye west
album: the blueprint (2001)


dear summer - memphis bleek (feat. jay-z)
produced by just blaze
album: 534 (2005)


also shawn wears scarves. i don't have one. sigh. yet another great reason to go get one.
my list of reasons include:
- they're awesome looking.
- karlie likes guys in scarves.
- it's freaking freezing outside and i have to walk to campus.
and now
- jay-z rocks a scarf.

ugh. thats it, i'm getting one.
have a gay jay day.

-ap.

* - in this situation "jc" equals johnny cash...not jesus christ. also, listening to rap/hip-hop does not mean i am forsaking my Savior and following the devil. on the contrary, it brings me closer to Him. but that is for another day and another post - just turn on minority report and listen for Jesus' voice. he is there.

erwin mcmanus.

“When interacting with unbelievers, we’re not, in a sense, trying to ‘close the sale.’ We’re trying to make meaningful friendships. Because the gospel is transmitted in the most healthy way through genuine care and concern.”
Erwin McManus

are we kidding?

-ap.

happy thanksgiving back.*

i'm sitting at muddy's coffeehouse in brookside right now killing time while karlie finds out significant information from umkc about her future.

i've never been here before - but apart from spending an outrageous amount for a medium cup of black coffee ($2.25) i really have no complaints. it's peaceful, there is seating outdoors, it's a beautiful day, and this coffee is india monsooned malabar - so life could be worse.

india monsooned malabar: it's from india (obviously) and it's the biggest bean you're likely ever to grind up. it comes from malabar's rainy monsoon season (hence 'monsooned') so the beans are ultra large and ultra flavor-packed. just a little fun info for you there.

also i'm at home in kansas city for the next 5 days. so that's nice.
also i have no homework or responsibilities for the next 5 days. so that's nice too.
also johnny cash is playing on the radio out here. thats also nice.

so really, besides paying about 35 cents more than i expected to for this caffeinated beverage, i really have no complaints. these are really all things i should be thankful for with thanksgiving being tomorrow and all. i'll going to list them now:

in order of appearance:
- karlie
- beautiful day
- india monsooned malabar
- rainy seasons in india
- home
- kansas city
- no homework/responsibilities
- johnny cash

what an unexpected way to land 8 things that i'm thankful for. i hope your thanksgiving break is as surprisingly wonderful as mine has been so far - i'm about 2 hours into my break and i've got a decent list going already.

enjoy your thanksgiving everyone.

-ap.

* - You've Got Mail ref. add that to the list of things i'm thankful for. you can also add tom hanks, meg ryan, the internet, email, relationships and sushi to the list.

is doctrine biblical?

there have been occasions in my life when i've felt extremely limited in my doctrinal knowledge. i've played if off as an attempt to be moderate in the past, but in all honesty - it's usually because i don't know what i'm talking about. so i tend to feel like i blindly affirm all perspectives of doctrine because i never feel intelligent enough to adequately disprove a certain viewpoint.

i was inadvertantly accused of being a univeralist the other day because of this. i was shocked that i felt that i needed to defend the fact that i don't believe that everyone is going to heaven no matter what they do, but it got me considering whether i am too "open-minded" in terms of doctrine.

i concluded i was not. and these are some of my reasons:

1. i do not have the authority to condemn alternative interpretations. i'm convinced that none of us has a perfect understanding of who Jesus is - nor will we ever. if we fully understood Christ then why would we need to continue following him? so informing an individual that their personal viewpoint is wrong and that they must realign their perspective with my own is something i'm unable to do because who is to say that my understanding isn't false? i can disagree, but i can't show complete disapproval and force them to adopt my perspective. i don't have that authority.

2. doctrine is divisive. differing perspectives on scripture and in theology has been divisive since the first century church couldn't decide whether the gospel was for Jews or Gentiles. however, what the first century church was seemingly capable of doing was moving forward in Christ's name regardless. they were still on the same team - just preaching to different people. this mindset has been lost through 2000 years of revolution and reform. it seems like everyone who has a great idea ultimately splits people into "great idea followers" and "great idea haters". there is a greater reality that we can all serve. we ought to focus on the multitude of agreements. we need to remember that we serve christ - not luther, piper, bell, calvin, etc.

3. these disagreements are not of eternal significance. i do not know have the slightest idea how i stand in regards to predestination, double predestination, free will, etc. that whole arminian/calvinist argument is such a waste of time. why must we continue to try and explain the things that we simply do cannot know? we Christ-followers are trying to put God in a box. we try our best to know everything. and in doing so, i feel that we've strayed from our true callings: to love God, love others, and spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. but instead we feel compelled to explain God first, and then once we've got it figured out for ourselves then we'll move along and love others and tell the world about Jesus. the unfortunate thing is that since God is an inexhaustible expanse of knowledge steps two and three are never addressed.

4. truth through love. not love through truth. the gospel of Jesus is about love. it is our duty to go forth in love and proclaim the truth that we know in Christ. what i see happening in so many doctrinal disputes is the necessity to define what "truth" is first. this is the major flaw not only in doctrinal disputes, but also in the mindset of bullhorn evangelists and pamphlet distributors. there is truth, and they are fulfilling the great commission. but this truth tends to exclude the greatest commandment: love. without love we cannot successfully progress the truth we Christians are called to share. love comes first.

5. with understanding comes pride, and love is not proud. i have a history of pride. it is one thing that individuals as incredibly awesome as myself tend to struggle with. seeking for understanding and doctrinal wisdom is rarely in love, but typically self-seeking and boastful. this is the chief reason i feel bad about not having great doctrinal knowledge - because i'm jealous of the people who are smarter than i am, and in desiring to understand more i always find myself feeling more and more proud. love does not boast. it is not proud. i believe much doctrinal knowledge is the result of selfish motives. maybe someday i will have that maturity to discern from all sides of the argument, but if not - no sweat. i'm not certain it's an ability i could possess well.

there are probably more reasons, but my point is this: doctrinal knowledge is not something i find spiritually edifying. it is divisive, hateful, proud, and tries its best to put our Creator in a box. i can't help but scowl when we ignore the countless passages about serving the poor and focus on details in romans or revelation or acts or leviticus. who can say they're correct, and if they believe they can - who can tell the other that they're wrong strictly out of love? not me. that is for sure.

and as far as the "denomination tree" goes: i find the word "schism" fantastic, and i must notify the U.R.C. that trees do not grow in that fashion. however, at least they're bringing separations together. but most imporantly - i find this whole thing entirely unbiblical. i don't understand how so many people decided to start imitating the Pharisees instead of Jesus.

but it sure is a pretty color for an otherwise not-so-visually stimulating blog.

-ap.

november sizzler continues.

here is a motto i've lived by for most of my life: spending time with the people you love is always a better use of your time.

typically this takes the form of ignoring schoolwork in order to hang out with friends - get some coffee, watch a movie, etc. this weekend it took the form of ignoring the relaxing and peaceful weekend i had "scheduled" and driving my favorite mexican on the planet from manhattan to kansas city.

this decision led to the following:

1. multiple hours of terrific conversation.
2. dinner with the fam and gf.
3. getting free tickets to the chiefs/bills game.
4. dinner with the gf and her fam.

it also lead to a dead cell phone and wearing some of the same clothes two days in a row because in my haste i failed to plan this trip whatsoever. worth it.

the following things happen tomorrow that are also important:

5. 808's and Heartbreak.
6. last november sizzler class of my life.
7. bill snyder takes over what is rightfully his - the ksu football program.

i apologize for failing to update recently. i have no excuse except that my mind was not in sync with the World Wide Web. however, i feel that changing in the coming week.

november sizzler has truly lived up for the first time in years. and the best is still yet to come.

-ap.

my face hurts.

i am on fire. it was hot.

-ap.

photo courtesy of nick welch. he was in the right place at the right time to catch me mid-engulf. i would link to his name to his tumblr, but i don't support tumblr. just cause ryan adams has one doesn't inherently make it cool.

warren wallace is made of lightning.

-ap.

circus - britney spears.

i've managed to acquire a little more than half of the new britney spears album, Circus, coming out in december.

i know that behind almost every popular artist there is a producer who does all the work and actually makes the music and understands it. it sure would be something if britney had done anything on this album besides sing in studio and pose for photos for the album sleeve.

so know this: when i say "britney's new album rules" it ought to be comprehended as "the people who made a new album for britney spears rule and so does the album."

if you haven't heard the first single, womanizer, yet then you've probably either lived under or a rock or in rural Utah since mid-october. or you could simply not listen to the radio much. or you could live in manhattan, kansas, which is notorious for not having "popular" music until it's already been over-played elsewhere in the continental united states. regardless, it's been linked, so now you have no excuse. and since citizens of Salt Lake City rank 4th in frequenting my blog* this track ought to explode in the unreached sections of the nation over-night. as it should.

brit's new album is aimed directly at the dance club. it is beat and synth heavy and britney dons a rather robotic voice - maybe it's an attempt at sexiness, but it comes off sounding less-than-human. which is also how she comes across in her music video. in her attempt to make a comeback she decided that dancing naked in a steam room was the way to boost her image to the world. it's unfortunate that it's going to be a success story too. not that i'm not rooting for her success, but that the video is assisting in her recent rise. the video doesn't support the idea of the track either. womanizer is britney finally using her discretion and realizing when males that are just looking for some action. so she responds with that video? i don't understand.

other leaked tracks on the album that i'm a huge fan of: If U Seek Amy, Circus, and Mannequin. (downloads). i would talk more about each of these songs (womanizer too), but when given the choice between letting you listen to them and download them or trying to describe them myself - i'll pick the easy way and just let you hear them. suddenly i'm really excited for Circus. it's made my album release list just below 808's and Heartbreak.

Circus comes out december 2nd. (this is also britney's birthday. i didn't have look this little factoid up, this was common knowledge for every male back in 2000 when she turned 18. back when i was in 9th grade.)

-ap.

EDIT: Shattered Glass is great too. chorus sounds like Ace of Base. holler back '93.

* - this is likely due a past blog on Mormonism and 18 past blogs regarding John Buck - both of which center themselves in Utah.

going on - gnarls barkley.

Gnarls Barkley - Going On
Uploaded by zegonzag

-ap.

meanderings.

what is there to even blog about now that the election has ended? i wasn't certain that life would actually continue past november 4th, and looking back on it - i apologize for blogging about politics as much as i have over the last couple months. what a snoozer. i wouldn't want to read my own blog.

sometimes i envy people who can take great pictures. it would make blogging so much easier. plus it would improve the overall aesthetic of my blog (which, lets be honest, hasn't been my first course of action since joining blogspot in 2006.) in fact i picked a scheme and haven't strayed from it to this day. i think i may have changed the "visited link color" once back in early 2007. if i cared about blog layout, i'd switch to tumblr. ryan adams has one i hear.

i was sitting in social interaction an hour ago. my professor said something like "i dont want to be here anymore than you do." i found that funny - we all subject ourselves to something none of us really want to do. it's always odd to me that we all get together three times a week when i'm confident 100% of us don't want to.

sometimes i like to go back and read my old old old posts and giggle at how immature i was in high school and early in college. chances are i'll check this post three years or so from now and find myself equally immature now. 26 is so old.

-ap.

obama win causes obsessive supporters to realize how empty their lives are

Obama Win Causes Obsessive Supporters To Realize How Empty Their Lives Are

i was in tears after this one. the onion is sheer genius.

-ap.

love wins.

it's difficult to come up with something to blog about in the emotionally charged wake of last night's election. it's difficult to be happy while so many others are disappointed, and it is certainly hard to be publicly proud when so many are frustrated and pessimistic.

last night was history. it was the culmination of so many positive things in the united states and also marked the beginning of a new era in this nation. i'm proud to be an american today. regardless how you cast your vote (if you did) or whether you have hope or think we're doomed - no one can deny an incredible step toward racial reconciliation in this country. maybe the largest step taken yet.

i was impressed with john mccain's speech last night. he was classy and there is no doubt that he loves this country dearly. for the mccain supporters who have littered the internet with hateful disgust toward america and its new president-elect, you are acting in a way that would disgrace the man for whom you cast your vote. i pray that mccain supporters can emulate john's love for this country and hope to avoid the failure they see so imminent. nothing good comes from hatred and fear.

i am confident that this country has taken a step in the right direction. now is our chance to continue pressing on in love for a better future for this country. i am hopeful and will continue to pray for our leaders, as well as the people they govern. i encourage you to do the same.

-ap.

hope for the jefes.

since everyone else is talking about the election on november 4th, i'll try and bring some fresh air to the currently politically saturated world wide web. lets talk chiefs football.

players i need to address:

1. tyler thigpen. if anyone wants to hear some thigpen encouragement - you can hear it on the AM radio (everclear ref). 610 sports callers are praising him as our solution at QB forever. there isn't anyone getting more encouragement than t-square. no wonder he's performing with so much more confidence. when the world believes in you then you start acting like you're supposed to be there - heck, a couple people have called in claiming he could be the next tom brady. i'm reluctant to go that far, there is quite a difference between the michigan wolverines and the coastal carolina...chanitcleers. main difference: i didnt have to look up "wolverines". do i believe that tyler thigpen is the quarterback of the future in kc? not yet. but do i believe he's got a shot depending on how he plays in the next 8 games? absolutely. i'm not even sure we need to draft a QB this year seeing that this year's QB class sucks and next year's will rule. we could suffice with signing some washed up veteran as a back up. maybe. it all depends on t-square's performance from here on out. also, when the nickname "t-square" takes off - you heard it here first.

2. larry johnson. haven't missed him at all the last few weeks. is he a better rusher than charles and smith? you bet he is. but when you've got the opportunity to be an example for these new guys and you're spitting alcohol at women instead? pitiful. charles ran for over 100 yards on sunday and kolby smith looked terrific before he got hurt, and for the first time this year i actually agree with the complaints and beliefs that the chiefs ought to just ship him elsewhere. maybe the cowboys would take him. not that they need him with barber back there, but they seem to have a distinct interest in players with off-the-field issues.

3. the brandons: carr, flowers, and (branden) albert. we've got two stellar corners in carr and flowers. the injuries to flowers and johnson in the second half is why we lost the game to tampa. they picked on flowers side the moment he went out and the chiefs couldn't stop garcia and galloway. when we're healthy and older we're going to have one of the best secondaries in the nfl. you wait and see. flowers, carr, page, pollard. i think they're all future pro-bowlers. and branden albert ruled this sunday. thigpen had plenty of time and albert is the main reason. he's getting better and healthier every game, and it shows.

4. chan gailey. funny name, great play calling on sunday. it helps when you have the same quarterback for two consecutive games, but i was so excited to see the chiefs mixing it up on offense. wildcat formation? loved it. i was sprinting around my house declaring the play below as the "play of my life." also, when we had the ball late in the game we didn't go super conservative (instead tony g got called for a bogus offensive pass interference), but we didn't just hand it to charles off-tackle 3 times and punt like last week. high five chan. your report card landed its first A this week.

5. mark bradley and devard darling: bradley for that unbelievable pass (see below) and darling for finally making a case for him as the #2 receiver after bowe. i had begun to think DD was a bust - don't act like that isn't hilarious. also some props to brad cottam for existing. i'm not certain that i'd even heard his name through week seven. the receivers were open for thigpen on sunday and that was encouraging. and how about bradley's pass. wow. just please watch the video below and visualize me stomping around utilizing the double fist pump to it's utmost potential.

play of my life:


ahh. i could watch it over and over. all in all - we're making strides. after watching us play atlanta, tennessee and carolina i was certain that this "youth movement" was more of a "youth stagnant". it's good to see that i may stand corrected. there is hope in kansas city. maybe next year we can keep it up for 4 quarters instead of 1 1/2.

go chiefs.
-ap.

dark knight/toy story trailer.

this is one of the greatest trailer mash-ups i've ever seen. whoever did this is a genius.



-ap.

copped from marko.

why voting or not isn't enough.

i get this vibe from a number of young evangelicals like myself that they'd rather not vote than select between the "lesser of two evils" in mccain or obama. neither of them fully embody Jesus's values, and therefore these individuals refuse to pick between them. typically when i'm presented with a comment like this my internal and external reactions are very contradictory. in my mannerisms and my speaking i feel like i come across very understanding and respectful; i nod a lot and utilize the phrase "fair enough" probably more than i should. however, on the inside i'm screaming at them asking them "how? how can you abstain from selecting one of them?"

if you are extremely uninformed then i understand not voting, but i don't understand the logic in consciously choosing to not cast your ballot. maybe you're trying to avoid the guilt you may feel if your selection doesn't do a fantastic job by the time 2012 rolls around. that seems pretty cowardly to me.

but the thought i'm left feeling most passionate about is this: if you don't vote then you have no right to complain about our country. it's plainly put, but it's the absolute truth. if you don't care enough about this country to voice you opinion when it matters then you shouldn't have the freedom to voice your opinion about the state of this nation for the next 4 years.

however, shane claiborne posted an intriguing article this morning briefly mentioning a tweaked alternative to this viewpoint:

"If you are completely paralyzed by imperfect choices, writing in “Jesus” is an option but should also come with grave responsibility. Just because you don’t vote doesn’t mean you can’t critique any more than owning stock should be a prerequisite for decrying the patterns of Wall Street. However, if we do not vote, we had better be spending every day of our lives trying to create alternative solutions to the questions of how 48 million folks can have health care, how we can live without fuel, how we deal with violent people … and on and on."

this really is the truth. if you're not going to select between this year's presidential options then you better be doing everything under your power to fulfill the changes you wish to see in this nation on your own. i agree with you when you say that you can't agree 100% with either candidate - i don't either - there are pros and cons to both individuals, but if you aren't going to pick what you believe is the best option for our country then you better be prepared to step up and change this nation on your own.

except my final thought is this: why can't we do both? there is nothing that is keeping us from electing the best candidate AND stepping up and changing the world the way we'd like to see it changed. we all have the ability to do both, and we all ought to be exercising our abilities to their paramount.

so if you tell me you're not voting, and i tell you "fair enough", you can be certain that i don't honestly believe that is truly "enough". likewise, if you tell me you're voting for mccain or obama or nader (or writing in Jesus' name for that matter) and give me your reasons - i don't believe that to be enough either. as a Christian, the ticket does not end with your choice on Nov 4. we all have the power to change this world for Christ; i think we ought to go ahead and do it ourselves.

-ap.

on holiday.

there are three types of holidays:

1. important ones: things like christmas, thanksgiving and easter. holidays that mean something more than just a random day people felt like commercializing. and though christmas and easter have been extremely commercialized too, they obviously have greater importance than just a special day. and have you noticed that thanksgiving hasn't really been commercialized much? i mean grocery stores put up deals on butterballs and pumpkin pie filling, and, yeah, the detroit lions are always playing football on tv, but if they had really wanted to commercialize thanksgiving with football don't you think they'd've picked a team besides the lions to watch every year (probably why they've since added the cowboys to the mix - america's team doing their best to americanize a wonderful holiday).

2. pitiful ones worth celebrating out of sheer humor: groundhog day, national talk like a pirate day, and april fools day come to mind. groundhog day is a personal favorite - probably thanks mostly to bill murray - but it's just one of those holidays that you can't help but enjoy slightly. that prognosticating rodent that thinks he can tell you how far away spring's gonna be. as if he could be the month's meteorologist for the entire nation. and has anyone noticed that spring comes early regardless? situation 1: he doesn't see his shadow and we have an early spring. situation 2: he sees his shadow and we have 6 more weeks of winter. this means spring would begin on march 16 which is still 5 days before spring actually starts. see? it's a win-win. how can you not enjoy such a holiday?

3. holidays that truly suck: st. patrick's day is an obvious example. this could be rephrased as an excuses to drink and/or act in a manner that is less than typically desirable to the general public. especially in a college town. its absolutely disgusting how people live during that weekend. the bars open at like 8 am and they're packed all day, all night, and all day the following day. nothing i'd rather do than blow some serious cash on green booze and make myself miserable for the following 24 hours. stupid.

halloween falls under category three for me. is dressing up fun? eh. sometimes. my best costume ever: a tree. typically it's too much pressure and ends up not being worth the time. best ideas i had this year: jack skellington, mormons, a Q-Tip. but the things that i really hate about halloween: sleazy costumes and haunted houses. first of all, i really feel like halloween is an excuse for all the dirty girls out there to wear something sick nast for the evening and not get frowned upon by society...much. pretty lame. and haunted houses are not something i enjoy dabbling in. am i too scared? something like that. there are a lot of haunted houses where people pray for demons to come and actually possess the building. THOSE scare me. people are toying with things that ought not be toyed with, and THAT scares me.

so. people. enjoy your halloween if you choose to celebrate it. try not to do anything stupid.

i'll be handing out candy to door-to-door youngsters with a retired mime.

-ap.

i am in love.

-ap.

top 10 lip syncing tunes.

typically i don't like to blog about how awesome i am. not because i'm intentionally trying to exude an aura of humility, but because i consider it inherent knowledge with which my frequenters are duly familiar.

however, i must brag today. for i am an exceptional lip-syncer. i'm uncertain where i've managed to acquire such a useless skill, but i've spent the last 10 minutes or so sifting through my itunes and finding my top 10 favorite songs to lip-sync to. it's a difficult process, because i could probably manage a top 15 or top 20 list, and there are always a few stragglers that you feel got jilted and some bubble songs that maybe don't have any business being on the list instead of the jilted ones (sounds like the ncaa tourney), but the line has to be drawn somewhere. and that line is at #10.

10. Encore - Jay-Z
9. Cry Me a River - Justin Timberlake
8. Understatement - New Found Glory
7. Motown Philly - Boyz II Men
6. Back in the U.S.S.R. - The Beatles
5. The Distance - Cake
4. One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solomn Faces... - Ben Folds Five
3. Holiday - Green Day
2. Can't Take It - The All-American Rejects
1. Monkberry Moon Delight - Paul McCartney

now that i have a playlist created it's possible that you'll find me in front of full-length mirror practicing for hours at a time for impromptu performances in the future. add this to the list of skills i have that won't likely lead to any sort of lucrative career. also on the list: disc golf, foosball, and eyebrow control.

-ap.

EDIT: i'd like to change number 10 to The Pretender - Foo Fighters. i discovered this after half an hour of pumping myself up for an ultimate game that never happened due to a lack of opponent.

welcome, class of 2013.

today is campus tour day apparently.

in my 5 years on this campus i've never once taken a campus tour. some of my friends get paid some meager cash to actually lead them, but i've never once felt the urge to jump in with the crowd and hear the particulars of the university i attend.

maybe it's because i'm a detective and i like to figure things out on my own? yep. thats probably it.

but these prospective students and their parents are everywhere today, and i can't help but think three things:
1. they're all wearing expressions like they've just discovered hogwarts*.
2. guaranteed none of them ever manage to utilize interlibrary loan to the degree i have.
3. probably most importantly - they look so young.

when i was entering college, these students were entering their second year of middle school. it makes me feel extremely old and somewhat uncomfortable. i'm happy for them though. they're about to enter into one of the most exciting, different - potentially regrettable - and memory filled years in their life. heck, their future husband/wife could be in the group tour with them right now.

college is great guys. don't grow up too fast, and don't be afraid to change your major as many times as you feel necessary.

-ap.

* - which they haven't yet, they are on the 2nd floor, and hogwarts is up on the 4th.

poor wording courtesy of david cook.

From RollingStone.com:

While American Idol winner David Cook admits he enjoyed playing with people’s expectations and consciously threw curveballs on the show, his upcoming album is all business. “I just want the songs to kick you in the teeth or make you want to cry — or do something drastic, like jump off a building,” says Cook.

It is likely that i will lean toward the doing the latter.

Never been a huge DC fan, but admitting that some individuals may be inclined to kill themselves after listening to his music just earned him some points in my book.

EDIT. this is not to say that i condone suicide. i'm just pleased that DC understands the direct effect he has on society.

-ap.

adventures in itunes.

in light of this being my 300th post on blogspot, i will do nothing special whatsoever.

three things that drive me crazy about itunes.

3. if any song is checked as "part of a compilation." for some reason when i rip an album into itunes and it auto-sorts it into my artists under Compilations" instead of the actual artist name it just makes me want to cuss. which truly is ridiculous because it takes roughly 4 seconds to correct. i'm not an itunes elitist, however, it is maddening for me to not be able to find an artist only to discover that they're under the new "Compilations" section of my artists that has managed to reappear since the last time i deleted it.

2. the "genre" option. as many of you know i'm a fan of some groups/artists that don't necessarily qualify under any type of genre. gnarls barkley for instance. or n.e.r.d. the whole idea of a genre somewhat annoys me. especially at best buy when THE ENTIRE CD SECTION is comprised of 4 different sections:
- rock/pop
- rap/r&b
- religious/gospel
- international music/latino
just the same, to sort music into different genres is equally absurd. i do think it's funny that "acid" is an option. as is "general unclassifiable."....what.

1. "Genius is unavailable for the song [insert song here]." i hate it so much. don't get me wrong. genius is genius. really. the fact that i can click a song, click the little electron cloud in the corner, and get an incredible playlist based on that one song is fantastic. but when it wont let me it is SO disappointing. especially when i KNOW that it is in the itunes store and for some reason the program can't figure out that it's the same thing.
don't you DARE tell me i can't make my "another dumb blonde" playlist because you can't find the song. Hoku is IN YOUR STORE. don't gimme that you can't mix and match other great hits to come up with a list for all the hoku lovers out there. i mean look at it's popularity. OFF THE CHARTS. talk about criminal.


-ap.

if jesus ran for president...

this is pretty clever, and i feel like one could pull a lot of really terrific criticisms about today's political ideologies from it. especially those pertaining to 'turning the other cheek' and giving out 'free love'. (1:30)

i also love when they refer to him as "mr. of nazareth". super funny.

also, i voted today.

-ap.

copped from revolution in jesusland.

pray for the chiefs.

123rd and antioch, overland park, kansas.
took it on my phone this afternoon.
-ap.

kansas city sports sanity and kurt vonnegut.

i'm starting to realize how cubs fans actually do it - how it is that they can go for 100 years and counting without winning a world series and still be as passionate as ever about their team.

it hasn't even been two years since the chiefs limped into the playoffs with a measly 9-7 due to a denver crumble and a last minute 49er field goal on new years eve. the royals haven't played a post-season game in my lifetime. i've been fortunate to have been a cardinals fan for most of my life, but now that i've seen them win it all i really feel as if my true loyalty is with the royals. i'm a kc fan. thats just the way it is.

with immense failure comes equally immense disappointment. after a while that disappointment turns to humor. cynicism? perhaps, but at some point the missed tackles, strikeouts, pitifully immobile quarterbacks and hopeless franchises start to make you smile. expectations flip upside down and you find yourself rooting for alex gordon to strikeout so that it will enhance your argument that teahen should be moved back to third and alex should go rip it up in AA again.

i'm realizing that when you truly love a team and they have the collective ability of eric warfield there comes a point where their disappointment is no longer abrasive to your emotions, but it is almost somewhat warming and fun - like an 4 year-old who gets caught coloring murals on the walls - you'd rather the kid didn't, but let's be honest, it's pretty funny.

how do the columnists do it? how about the cubs columnist who's worked for the chicago tribune for 40 years following 40 years of inept chicago baseball? how do they want to write another depressing article about the team's past, present and probable future? doesn't jason whitlock ever get tired of writing to fire carl peterson? doesn't joe posnanski ever tire of covering the royals' latest "hope" coming up in omaha? imagine that stretched out over 40 years! the only possible articles the worth writing would be at the sake of humor.

this is when kurt vonnegut comes in:
"laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. i myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward."

"humor is an almost physiological response to fear."

does the man hit the nail on the head or what? where else is there to go but to the funny papers with this? i tell you what, if someone had started a comic strip called "wrigley field" back in the early 1900's they would've just made a killing over the last century through all sorts of dark humor. maybe someone should work toward a strip called "arrowhead" or "collapsing with carl" or "youth movement".

i will hope and pray that the chiefs and royals improve, but in the meantime i'm just going to chuckle and root for john buck. he's my coping mechanism. God forbid someone else takes him away from us.

-ap.

james earl jones recites the alphabet.

copping props to cdoubledizz.

-ap.

fire carl.

"It’s no secret that the Chiefs are an organization burning in flames, and Edwards seems to be getting more and more comfortable letting everyone see the gas, matches and electric fans sitting on Carl Peterson’s desk."

"The way the club is currently managed, a coaching staff filled with Vince Lombardi, Tom Landry, Bill Parcells, Bill Walsh, Don Shula and Hank Stram couldn’t lead the Chiefs to .500."

-- Jason Whitlock

relatively unrelated thoughts to social theory.

yesterday i spent five hours overwhelming my brain with sociological theory, so far i've only really landed three thoughts that just barely pertain to the information i've been staring at.

1. sociological theory it is a bunch of malarkey.

malarkey - (mə-lar'ki) - n. total crap; completely made up information; something not the slightest bit grounded on anything worth anyone's time : sociological theory is such malarkey.

i officially decided this at about 8:45 PM CST when i finally put away my study guide of about 112 words that i was responsible for defining.

my word-defining spree has carried over on to my blog in my definition of malarkey. i also determined the phonetic spelling of the word on my own.

2. i should have pursued speech pathology instead of sociology.

however this would have put me at this school for another 3 years probably, and there isn't a chance i'd ever subject myself to any more of this place than may 2009. i've been in school for 20some years now, and i'm counting down the days...213.

but phonetics is the class-related topic i've been most interested in since coming to college by far. linguistic anthropology has been my favorite college course. easily. it was challenging, yet really fun. and i was good at it. unlike sociology. its neither challenging or fun.

but truthfully i feel like i'm on the right path - the fast track out of college - i'm very ready to begin the next phase of my life. it's starting to piece together somewhat. and lastly...

3. friday can't get here soon enough.

-ap.

voting Obama does not make me a Christian.

i'm nervous that my voting for Barack Obama is turning into a way for me to feel holy. do i believe that Obama's ideals are closer to that of Jesus than those of John McCain? yes. i've expressed those thoughts a number of times on this mug and those thoughts likely aren't going to diminish anytime soon.

my fear is this: am i substituting living like Christ with voting for Obama?

there's not much to voting really. i check a box. thats really all it is. i'm aware that my vote means very little and that i can't alone make a great difference in the election. perhaps thats why i've attempted to educate myself and share my thoughts with friends and family and on here on occasion. so that my vote is more than just me checking a box, but that it is me witnessing to others why i believe Obama to be the best choice.

but is that witnessing overriding the witnessing i ought to truly be doing? is my political agenda interrupting the agenda i ought to have for Christ?

rephrased: is my hope in Obama? or in Christ?

i'm subscribed to feeds from God's Politics and every day they have a "voice of the day." today's voice is St. Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

i read this thinking, "how cool would it be if America looked like this?"

and then i stopped and thought, "no. how cool would it be if I actually looked like this too?"

voting for Obama does not make me a Christian. somewhere between august and october - so probably in september - my mindset slowly tweaked into one hoping to get America on the right track and away from questioning my own actions. i have tried my best to approach political decisions by asking, "where is it written?" however, in my haste to answer this question for today's worldwide issues i've managed to ignore answering that question in terms of my own life.

this is not to say that i've been dwelling in a pit of sin, but simply that i need to focus on the spirit of my own heart more than i do.

-ap.

also. everyone ought to go to karlie's blog and watch the video.

more post-season prognostication.

i don't really care to get into reasons.
but here are my new picks since i was 1/4 in the divisonal series.

alcs: rays in 6.
nlcs: dodgers in 7.

cmon rays. keep it up.

-ap.

10 ways to eat more bacon.

there are two things that are amazing about this article to me:

thing 1: um. hello. the obvious one? bacon is one of the greatest delicacies ever. if given the choice between bacon and a snickers bar, i'd pick bacon. thick-sliced, hickory smoked, low sodium, they're all good. even the bacon that wendy's flops on their JBCs is actually somewhat tasty despite being splattered with ketchupy mayo. the ones that jumped out to me:


thing 2: my best friend told me about two months ago of an adventure in the kitchen. he was working at planet sub and was rather bored in the afternoon. so when he went to the back to throw some cookies in the oven he decided to try his luck at some bacon chip cookies. he claimed they were delicious. i thought they sounded bizarre. turns out a major cooking website is promoting them as well (except it appears they've just placed bacon on top of the cookies instead of bakiing bacon bits into the cookie dough. either way, i'm buying some bacon to go with the next batch of cookies i make.

an adventure in my kitchen may be happening soon. gosh i love bacon.

-ap.

coincidentally enough, pat forde has mentioned chocolate-covered bacon on a stick in today's Forde-yard Dash. also he mentions the 6 really good teams in the big xii. kstate is not one of them. they may be team #12.

sorry ben.

i need to apologize to ben folds for publicly bashing his new album online. i was naive and had clearly not digested enough of your album to write a decent album review. Way to Normal is pretty great. not life-changing, but great. i still think you've gotten angry, or maybe you just fooled me all those years with songs like "brick" and "jesusland". i guess you've just taken your anger and put it into pretty chords and terrific harmonies.

you rule man. i'm sorry. you're still in my favorite artists on facebook.

-ap.

life isn't supposed to be like this.

i was born in 1986.

as i've developed, so has technology. these are unrelated happenings.

and as technology has developed, those of us who live in this world have become more and more exposed to the media.

and as the exposure goes up, our understanding of what this world is really like has also gone up.

so it might seem like a surprise to most that violent crime has actually been decreasing drastically since about 1994.

that isn't what this blog is about though.

this blog is about how even though crime is decreasing, and even though i'm exposed to stories about disaster and terror all the time there are still articles that just absolutely ruin me.

this is one of those stories.

it just infuriates me. first of all, suicide infurates me. second, murder infuriates me. third, what the hell do you have to say to your friends and relatives that would ever want to be read? your reasons? your apologies? your justifications?

in tragic situations i always ask the question "what does God have in mind here?" and typically i can come up with something pretty easily. but then crap like this happens and i can't help have a moment of panic. as if God really doesn't have it all figured out. this also makes me entirely too nervous about what i want to do with my life. it's easy for me to stand by and see the brightside after a while, but is that just because nothing tragic has ever happened to me? what if this was one of my friends/relatives? would i fold and completely lose my faith? i just don't know if i'd manage.

but its not about me. its about the family and friends of this family. its about the teachers and counselors of the sons and about the brothers and sisters and close friends of the family. i pray that somehow they can manage. that Christ show his face even in this dark hour, and their souls are met with joy and happiness on the other side of life. i pray that Heaven awaited them all.

life just makes me weep. it isn't supposed to be like this.

-ap.

a list.

i have discovered in my years of blogging that lists are a terrific way to be certain that your frequenters are reading the material you post. especially if you utilize links successfully (not necessarily to be clicked, but mostly so that words stand out in another color - in this case blue). in fact, chances are most of you have skipped this paragraph in order to dive straight into the numbered section of the post. fair enough.

1. low expectations are key to happiness.

2. the cubs and white sox suck. this also brings happiness. to me at least. (sorry tuff.)

3. i have two papers and two tests on tuesday and wednesday.

4. garageband is super fun.

5. if the chiefs won every week my life would be unbearably terrific. this week has indeed lived up despite my neglect of point one.

6. sometimes i wish i could see a glimpse of my future so i could make life decisions now without worry or fear. however, this is probably so i can learn life lessons along the way. just like why Dumbledore didn't give Harry all the answers in book six.

7. reading is also a key to happiness. and information. but happiness is the more important of the two.

8. lists are essential to blogging; semicolons are not.

would you look at that. i've now introduced 8 different points to spark interests. and since everyone has different interests, and since this is viewable to the entire world, i've potentially reached a much wider audience than this post or this post. just saying. i probably won't adhere to this style on a regular basis, but i have much to do (see point three) and i don't have time for excessive blogging. unlike in september - 26 blogs in 30 days? freak.

-ap.

Review: Way to Normal

somehow in the transition period after the Rockin the Suburbs/Songs for Slverman era and now Ben Folds managed to create himself as solely a performer. no one could ever develop an argument against ben's ability to entertain the masses - he stands on his piano, plays with his toes, and conducts audiences in three part harmonies - who knows what he'll do next. when i saw him in des moines when he was touring with john mayer last year he finished off one angry dwarf by chucking his tripod stool at the keys for the final chord.

but it seems to me that his ability to entertain hasn't crossed over well into his LPs. he's gone from a great artist who happens to be an incredible entertainer to a great entertainer who doesn't consistently put out solid work with which to entertain.

that isn't to say that Way to Normal is awful, but it's really hard to take him seriously as a 42-year-old. his immaturity is really starting to bother me instead of make me laugh like it used to. songs like "bitch went nuts" (a detailed account of what his girlfriend did to wrong him) - and "effington" (a ballad incorporating extensive use of the word 'effing') just don't thrill me anymore. when he's on stage improvising tracks like these on stage they're hilarious, but in album form i can't help but wish there was a heavier theme behind some of his songs.

he does throw down a solid synth track in "free coffee" a catchy head-bopper in "you don't know me" - with regina spektor - and a thundering piano track in "hiroshima (b b b benny hit his head)". the album isn't a total bust, but overall it's a relatively weak record (much like the handful of EPs he's released since Songs for Silverman). he just comes across as ticked off.

however, i'll be thankful to know all of these songs when he starts performing them live soon. i'm beginning to feel like his only motivation in releasing new tracks is so that the crowd will know them when he entertains with them later. it's not a total bust, but i would've been much more pleased with a less-angry LP.

-ap.

EDIT: upon further review, the pound-it-out piano tracks are super fun when driving and when cleaning my room. it's a productive album apparently, and i can't wait to see ben perform these.

post-season baseball prognostication.

oh, how i love october. the cardinals and royals aren't even in it, but october just oozes with excitement. this is why october is my 3rd favorite month of the year. i was forced to hammer this out quick this morning during my environmental sociology review session due to 1) a busy schedule this morning, 2. the regular season ending just last night and 3. the first game of the playoffs starting in...12 minutes. so here are my predictions for this year's divisional and wild card series:

the angels were the best team in baseball this year, and they're going to continue into the playoffs. the red sox are hurt, they're without josh beckett for the first few games at least, but even if he does get the ball, he'll get it in game 3 or 4 in fenway which likely means he'll be pitching for his team's survival. i think they win that game when he's back in game 3, but conserving the bullpen for him will cost games for the sox in games 1 ad 2. this angels team is just really good and haven't had any problems all year.
angels in 4

the white sox will win one of the two games in tampa when mark buehrle takes the mound, but otherwise i see the rays being the better all around team here. they also have something to play for too, which i don't see the white sox having. yes, tampa's new to the post-season, but they're going to continue to ride that young energy in the playoffs. the games in chicago won't be easy wins, but this team has shown heart throughout the year. and i hate the white sox.
rays in 5

this is my favorite match-up this october. i really like both of these teams, and it's unfortunate they have to play each other here. i think the brewers can win at will with sabathia on the mound, and suppan is terrific when he wants to be (see the 2006 post-season). especially when he's starting against adam eaton - arguably the most disappointing pitcher in the league this year (4-8, 5.80 ERA making $8M). i think the brewers can steal this one at the hands of suppan and sabathia (twice).
brewers in 5

i had the joy of visiting wrigley this past may, and it is a nightmare for opposing teams when the crowd is hyped, and any time the cubbies are in the post-season there is no doubt the crowd'll be in it. the dodgers snuck into the playoffs through the addition of manny ramirez, but one offensive presence doesn't win 3 of 5 games. pitching wins series, and the dodgers don't match up with the dempster, zambrano, harden. throw in home field advantage and this one might be over pretty quick. i hate zambrano, so i'll bet against him game 2, but otherwise this one belongs to chicago. ugh.
cubs in 4

ALCS: rays/angels
NLCS: cubs/brewers

see you in the championship series. cmon rays.

-ap.

rainbow blob dude.

i straight up don't understand how this is possible. but it's amazing.

-ap.

why i'm voting for Barack Obama...*

Brian McLaren has been doing a really terrific series on his reasons for supporting Barack Obama. his reasons are scarily similar to my own thoughts** - each of these posts is something that i've been passionate about before reading them and they've just fueled the fire - part three even rose a fist pump out of me.

i don't know if anyone even glances at my 'take a gander' section on the right side, but all three of these were posted on there (as well as shared on my google reader). i think everyone - especially Christians - should read them.

Why I'm voting for Barack Obama, and why I hope you will too - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

there will be more to come too, but these are all three great. especially part 3 (which is the number one reason i will be voting for BO on november 4th too). -

-ap.

* - this is the third and last post for today. i promise.
** - however, his thoughts seem to be slightly more level-headed than mine.

what? heroes? seriously?

it blows my mind that people would rather watch heroes than monday night football. cmon, really? fake drama over real drama? that don't make no sense to me.

-ap.

an attempted solution to our waste.

some days i have monumentally grand ideas. today was one of those days. sorta.

i'm currently reading the book gone tomorrow: the hidden life of trash. essentially it's all about how this country is consuming more and more and, as a not-so-shocking result, our waste is rising at an equal rate. the book covers the history of garbage in the US: how human excrement and food waste used to be a terrific system of trade with farmers for fertilizer and pig slop, and in return the farmers provided the city with fruit and meat. is was an effective social system.

but then the industrial revolution happend, and in war times it was necessary that we mass produce in order to compete with other countries making weapons, transportation, packaging, etc. as production increased, so did the possibility of buying new goods rather than recycling old ones at home. thus, consumption rose drastically and we were presented with a problem of what to do with all the garbage.

enter modern landfills.

these landfills are huge, but no one notices them because they're typically discretely located in the poorer areas surrounded by huge walls and are virtually inaccessible to the public. there are a number of ways the waste companies deal with the trash, but none are anywhere near perfect. many simply bury the waste creating leaching into the ground water. others burn it releasing dioxins into the air.

enter adam's idea.

so i'm thinking. what is some way that we can manage to reuse some of this filth like they did in the 1800s? how can we balance this somewhat? what is the one thing that this country produces that could assist in the excess waste we have going on? my answer was concrete.

so i had this idea: why don't we figure out ways to take the elements in trash and stick them into the roads and buildings? that way we could dispose of it in a way that a) wouldn't pile it up in nasty relatively ineffective landfills or b) pollute the environment at all.

buzzkill number one: the thing i quickly realized is that just grinding it up and sticking trash in the cement would compromise the structural integrity of the concrete - so that's out of the question as far as buildings and major highways go - but what might be possible is to extract aluminum and iron from the pile and piles of waste and at least utilize it.

concrete is made up of mostly calcium (from limestone), with silicon (from sand and clay), and some metals (mainly aluminum and iron). the mixture is crushed, powdered and turned into cement. so my idea is to pull recycled aluminum and iron instead of going straight iron and aluminum ore producers.

buzzkill number two: turns out they already do this sometimes too, so that made my idea relatively ineffective and ultimately boring. essentially the idea i was proposing is that we recycle cans. gosh. how freaking revolutionary. i guess i need to move on to figure out how one could utilize typically non-recyclable materials to produce other goods. like figure out a way to turn packaging (accounting for 51% of landfill trash) into buildings. maybe it'd be possible to produce some sort of building compound out of bulk paper. or maybe its possible to harness the dioxins produced and bond them with something else to make them useful. got me. i'll look into it though.

for now, i'll just support recycling even though i'm completely aware that is isn't good enough. sigh.

-ap.

1-15 is just fine with me.

don't act like i never told ya.

the guys that needed to perform actually showed up - larry, tony, huard and bowe - but, more importantly, the defense looked extremely solid at times: derrick johnson especially. despite a couple unfortunate big runs, we forced turnovers and had decent pass coverage throughout. holler.

and how about that 12th man?! i haven't heard arrowhead like that against denver since dante hall's wickedly famous punt return in the 03-04 season. it felt like we wanted to win for a change.

don't expect them to go on the road at carolina and post up numbers like they did today, but i actually feel like i can watch on sunday with a hope for the future. also, don't everybody run to huard like he's a hero. this is the same damon huard who suffered from "mild head trauma" two weeks ago against oakland...mother faker.

but anyway. today i am proud to be a chiefs fan - not that i wasn't for the last 12 games- but i can finally say it without expected scoffs in return. this is going to be a good week. a confident week. things will happen this week. (you probably weren't aware that i rate my success as an individual based solely on the success of the kansas city chiefs - not entirely true, but it has a surprisingly large impact. too bad it couldn't've happened last week when i had three exams. this week must store something even more rewarding...my mind is doing backflips with anticipation.)

i don't care if we lose the final 12 games of the season - 1-15 is great as long as today is our only win. we won the one that really matters. talk about already exceeding expectations.

-ap.

coca-cola puffer vests.

Dr. Romanelli x Fruition have created "recycled pop bubble vests". i'm not sure if they were aware that they have essentially fulfilled every fashion dream i've ever wished in my life. this would be the perfect item for my wardrobe. i think i might start saving.

these are my favorites:








if i could find the first one in a color that wasn't broncos colors then i'd maybe get it. but lets be honest, i can't take a loan out right now.

and ps: the broncos will lose in kc tomorrow.

-ap.