Uplift - Day 2 (Part 1)

It's 4:30 and the kids are done with rec time. Now they're in their dorms getting ready to meet for dinner in an hour. Taylor Flowers joined us today without incident. Mad props to Kim and Melanie for picking him up at the airport today. I just finished watching some of our kids play volleyball and pretty much run the show, which makes my head swell a little, being their youth minister and all.

Before I go any further, let me just say that this is already shaping up to be a life-changing week. Everyone who is here is supposed to be here. I'm firmly convinced that this group is transforming right before our eyes into what God wants his people to be. And our chaperons on this trip, while few, are exactly where God needs them to be. I don't know how we could make this week work without Kim, Melanie, Audrey, Luke and Ashley. Tomorrow will be great, because Matt and I will actually get to spend time with our kids after Zoo. We are only teaching two days this year. So we don't teach again until Wednesday. That's going to be amazing. I've never gotten to go to classes and spend time with my youth group, because I've always had to do board stuff or teach or something. This is going to be cool.

Now, let's see . . . where was I? Oh yes, the morning didn't start off so well. The A/V for our videos did not go very well this morning. Nothing went very well this morning. And we've kind of got three more days of videos we have planned, so I hope they get this corrected quickly. Either way, we'll make it work. We had several kids today ask us not to quit doing Zoo. I don't know how to answer these things. I am such a pushover. Our kids were very supportive of our morning and encouraged us. Then we had some of them in class first thing, and that's always fun to get to teach your kids in a different environment. Another of my great joys is getting to come here with our kids and seeing what kind of leaders they are. There are a lot of great youth groups here, but I would put our kids right up there with anyone. They really lead by example. It's a nice thing for Bammel to have the reputation it does. I'm proud of our kids. You should be too.

We had classes all day. Groups took Communion together. It was cool the way they did it, a little bit differently than in the past. Tonight, we are having an illusionist come for our nightly entertainment. I love magicians. Love magicians. Yes, I know it's slight of hand and there is no such thing as "magic." And no, I do not want to know how you did that. I am super pumped about this. I heard he's really good. I am going to get all hyphy and stuff. That's slang for crunk, which is slang for jazzed, which is slang for pumped. And I'm sure that's slang for something. Why can't I think of a word for how excited I am? Oh . . . excited . . . that's a good word.

We also have our first group devo tonight. Looking forward to that. Just worshiping with our kids and hearing about their day. It's going to be a good time of reflection. We have a lot of kids here who haven't been before, and that's exciting. I'm looking forward to hearing about how the day was for them and what they gathered from our classes and such. Always fun. Wish you guys who aren't here could be a fly on the wall this evening. Please keep praying that God is moving in us this week. Please pray for continued safety for everyone here. And let me know if you have any questions or need anything.

Uplift - Day One (Part 2)

Well, it's about 10:30. Matt and I are going over what we're going to be doing tomorrow for Zoo and our class we're teaching. The kids have finished watching the concert and are on their way to the dorm. The one thing that is kind of a bummer where Uplift is concerned is the amount of time that our work here keep us away from our own youth group. Doing Zoo has been a blast, but we're going out in style. And we're off two days this week from teaching, because they're going with a different format. So that means more time for us to spend with our kids. And the best news is that we're starting later. Zoo is on at 9:00 this year instead of 8:00. So we're pretty pumped about the extra sleep.

We had some down time today, which was pretty good. The kids are going to need it. I can already tell this is going to be a great week. The energy was high tonight. The drama was excellent. Can't wait to see where they go with it. Brandon did a good job preparing us for the week's theme. And it's always amazing to sit in a room worshiping with 1000 teens. This is going to be a good year.

We had a good lunch today, but we're ready to get everything rolling tomorrow with a full day for the kids. We identified those folks who hadn't been here before, just to challenge the ones that have to keep an eye out and help out where needed. We're going to make sure everyone gets the most they can out of Uplift 2010. I can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Uplift - Day 1

Well, I guess technically Uplift hasn't started yet. We got here last night right about 6:30, which was just over 10 hours. Not bad for a 4 vehicle convoy. But we had no troubles of any kind. No wrong turns, no missed exits. Perfect weather. No back pain. God really blessed us with great travel. We have a great, and I mean great group of kids on this trip. We had a lot of kids bring friends this year, and I've already met most of them, I think. Very impressive. It's always a good thing to get friends going on this trip, which is probably the trip the kids look most forward to. We made our annual trip to Charley's Pizza last night, and they gave us a really good deal on the Xtra large pizzas, so everyone got their fill. Everyone is following directions beautifully. We are very blessed to be here. Makes it easy when you have such a good group of kids.

We are all going to eat lunch today at various places. And then we'll probably run by Wal Mart and get some snacks or stuff they may have forgotten to pack. Then we'll chill and play some games or something until we get registered at get dinner tonight and the Uplift ball gets rolling. Very exciting trip so far, and it's just underway. I'll have more to post later tonight.

In time it could have been so much more

I have really been reminiscing a lot lately. Today, I saw a soap that my dad used to use to clean his hands. He was a plumber, and they got pretty dirty. And this soap came in this tub. It was called GoJo. Ever heard of it? Well, anyway, I saw this and it took me back to when I was a kid and went to work with my dad. And I remember using this soap. And that brought about a whole range of memories. I find myself thinking about my childhood fondly, and more and more often. And when I do, there is some kind of aching involved. I used to think that I was aching because I missed my childhood, that on some level I resented my life currently and the fact that I was getting older. But I realize now that's not the case. I don't pine away over my youth because I wonder where it went and I'm aching to have it back, I just can't believe that it seems like it just happened. I can't keep time in perspective. I know what people mean when they tell me to enjoy my children because they will be gone before you know it. But the fact is that I do treasure our time together. I believe we make time to spend together, and I cherish every second. That doesn't change the fact that time moves too quickly. In the end, it doesn't matter how much time you spend, it's gone before you know it.

Time moves too fast. It wouldn't bother me so much if it would just slow down, just for a little while.

It Pays To Speak Your Mind

This is an actual email I sent to the Cap'n Crunch division of Quaker Foods.

Cap'n Crunch is the greatest cereal of all time. When I die, I want to be buried in a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. Coincidentally, I enjoy spending some of the time that I am alive also buried in a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. I've loved your cereal since I was a kid. The only way I thought it could be better is if it were chocolate. And BAM! there it was. And then you took it away. I need it back. Why is it every time I love something it gets taken away? Well, not this time. I plan on writing you at least once a week until you give me my cereal back, or at least put me in touch with some shady character I can get to fleece me some off the black market. I'm jonesing over here! C'mon, Man! Bring back the Choco Crunch! At least tell me why you sold me out!

And this is the response.

Eric:

Thank you for letting us know how important Cap'n Crunch's Choco Crunch has been to you. Your feedback is vitally important to us.

We introduced this product as a limited time offer. As you can see by the many different Cap'n Crunch products we come out with, we try to provide interesting new types of cereals for our consumers to enjoy. Sadly, most stores have limited shelf space, so we sometimes offer products for a limited time to give consumers a chance to try more new products.

That said, we do understand how important this product is to you. I will certainly let our marketing teams know you want this product to be a regular offering. We're grateful for your suggestion, as your feedback helps us determine future products to offer.

I did a search for this product online, and found it available on www.amazon.com. The price might be a little daunting, but since you're obviously so devoted, thought it only appropriate to mention it to you.

Now before you send us another email next week, please understand that I have done my best to convey how much you enjoy this product to our marketing teams. While emailing us a few more times might seem like an effective way to bring the product back, it doesn't provide our marketing team with more data we can use to make such a decision.

Since you're such a fan of Cap'n Crunch, I do want to send you a small gift for your loyalty. Look for it to arrive in your mailbox in about a week.

We value you as a consumer, Eric. It's obvious that you're passionate about Cap'n Crunch, and we hope that you'll find that you enjoy the products we come out with in the future just as much as you enjoyed Cap'n Crunch's Choco Crunch.

Dan
Quaker Consumer Relations
Ref# 027198291A

This may be the greatest email I've ever received. We all had a good laugh, and I get something free. See, it pays to be passionate. It's obvious Cap'n Crunch loves their customers, which means they just made a friend. Now, Ima see how much more free stuff I can get.

ACL Wishlist

OK, the lineup for one of the best North American music festivals (and the one I will be attending this year) is coming out Tuesday. I went to Austin City Limits back in 2008, but was on vacation last year, so I didn't get to go (I did, however, get to see The Killers in Miami . . . so, you know). In light of the fact that the lineup comes out soon, I am going to list some bands that I would like to see there this October. Some of them won't happen, but I think some of them will. For example, Muse is already supposedly signed on to close it out Sunday night (October 10). I'm going to reminisce about 2008, though, before I move on to 2010.

First of all, let me say that there is nothing like a live show. And if you can't put on a good show, I am going to stop buying your records, because I just lost all respect for you. Conversely, if you put on a good show and I don't know you, I may buy your records just because you put on such a good show, even though I don't really care that much for your music (i.e., Gogol Bordello). With that in mind, let me go over the highlights and lowlights for me at ACL 2008.

1. The Raconteurs
HIGHLIGHT: Finally seeing Jack White. And I do like The Raconteurs as his best project. I hope he's working on something with them, because this whole Dead Weather thing is not my favorite. Not bad, but I sure do like The Raconteurs.
LOWLIGHT: They didn't sing "Salute Your Solution" due to Jack having a bulging disc. I held a pretty tough grudge against him for that, until I just spent a month in bed due to a bulging disc in my back. All is forgiven.

2. Foo Fighters
HIGHLIGHT: Uh . . . it's Dave Grohl. And Foo Fighters are amazing live.
LOWLIGHT: N/A

3. David Byrne
HIGHLIGHT: I love Talking Heads. I love David Byrne. I have been a fan for a long time, since I was about 12? Really? He's been around that long? He did "Once in a Lifetime" and "Life During Wartime." Is there a lowlight? I submit that there is not.
LOWLIGHT: I didn't get to meet him.

4. Vampire Weekend
HIGHLIGHT: I had never listened to them before I saw them in concert. They sound really good and are a lot of fun.
LOWLIGHT: Pretty sure Ezra Koenig wasn't saying "Do you want some fudge?"

5. Gogol Bordello
HIGHLIGHT: Their live show is full of so much energy. I would recommend seeing them at some point, even if you don't like their music.
LOWLIGHT: I'm not a fan of their music.

Other highlights: Beck was a pleasant surprise, as was What Made Milwaukee Famous. Mars Volta, The Black Keys and MGMT were just aiight for me personally, but I'm glad I saw them. John Fogerty was ok. Against Me! was good, but I had to leave early to get up close for The Raconteurs at another stage. Getting to rest and watch football in the big tent was a plus as well.

Other lowlights: Bands I now love that I didn't see include: Silversun Pickups, Yeasayer, Hot Chip and The Fratellis. And I wish I hadn't seen Plant and Krause. Ugh. They were terrible. Sorry, but it's a fact. I wish I had seen Gnarls Barkley, but I had a choice to make, and I chose Jack White.

This year, I won't make the same mistake. I am going to go see as many bands as I can. I am much more open-minded now than I was then. Here's who I want to see at ACL this year. Some of them will happen, some probably won't. But if I could pick the bands I want to see, these would be the ones. By the way, I've bolded the ones that I think will actually happen, either because they are already confirmed, rumored or have a new CD coming out in 2010.

Muse
Temper Trap
Ra Ra Riot
Cold War Kids
Hockey
Phoenix
Passion Pit
Wolf Parade
Silversun Pickups
Hot Chip
The Fratellis
The Morning Benders
Elvis Costello
Spoon
Vampire Weekend
The xx
The Hold Steady
Grizzly Bear
Yeasayer
The Kooks
The Pixies (or some form of Frank Black)
Matthew Sweet and Susannah Hoffs (you have to watch this and read the highest rated comment below. Classic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRO5ZZuJGYI)
The Thermals
Green Day
The Arcade Fire
Broken Bells
The "She" in She & Him
REM (They have a new CD supposedly out in November. But will they commit this early? They do love Austin. I'm crossing my fingers. Please, ACL people. Make this happen.)

So who am I forgetting that you would like to see if you were going to ACL? What bands would you invite if you were running a music festival?

Working For The Weekend

Well, it's going on four weeks that I have been down with this back condition. In that time, I've seen an orthopedist and two chiropractors as well as receiving a lot of pity. I have been able to go back to church. I still can't sit comfortably though. In fact, it's a little worse today than yesterday. But this new chiro told me it would be probably. I've had some pain shooting down into my leg today that I haven't had this week. I'm hoping this is all part of the process of having me back in the driver's seat (literally) this weekend. I still can't go back to work, and that stinks to high heaven. I am able to walk a lot now, but I still can't even ride in a car comfortably. I hate this. But I'm trying to keep a positive outlook. I'm just ready for everything to start working again. Especially me.

In the meantime, I have been enjoying Blockbuster Online. We have been wearing it out. And I've gotten a chance to listen to some bands that are new to me. Of course, I missed the Phoenix concert. But at least Payton used the tickets and got me a T-shirt. I don't know how many of these bands are new, but they're new to me, and I like them a lot. If you get a chance to check them out, do so, if you haven't already.

The Temper Trap - I think they're on the verge of breaking out. Dude has an amazing voice.
Wolf Parade - Like their sound a lot. They've been around for a while. I'm just now getting on board.
Hockey - They haven't been out a while. But they have a lot of energy in their songs and seem very fun. I hope they come to ACL.
The Kooks - Yep, they sound like The Kinks. But that's actually a good thing.
Broken Bells - It's the lead singer of The Shins and somebody I don't know. Like it though. I hope this doesn't mean The Shins are over. Speaking of a band being over, Brandon Flowers of The Killers is releasing a solo CD soon. Yep, they're done.
The Morning Benders - They have a new one out. Listen to the song "Excuses" and try not to sing it all day. Can't be done.
But the best band I've heard recently is Cold War Kids. They've been around a few years. They have a couple CDs I'm going to have to listen to. But if you've never listened to them, I would suggest getting their EP they put out late last year. Listen to the song "Audience." Or better yet, just click the link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O9rBQz5UAQ&feature=related) and watch them sing it live. Love dude's voice. I think they're gonna be big too. Heck, they may already be. I'm always the last to know.

And I've been watching movies, as I said. Lots and lots of movies. Let's take a look, shall we?

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Best movie I've seen in 2010. I watched last month and still have it. Thank goodness I don't have late fees. I like it because it's clever without being offensive. It's one of Chaney's favorite movies as well. She likes Ash, because he has a tube sock on his head. I like him because he thinks he's an athlete.
Dark Water - I just watched this last night. I love Jennifer Connelly. She's great, but I always forget about her when I think of my favorite actresses. She's definitely number 6 though. This movie was just aiight. I don't want to say it's predictable, but I figured it out after ten minutes. The ending has a bit of a twist though. It's worth watching. Jennifer Connelly is great.
Ocean's 11 - I love all the actors in this movie. It was good. Fun. Not great. I liked it. I would recommend it. I just wouldn't make it sound like it's the greatest movie ever made.
The House of Yes - I love Parker Posey. I wish she hadn't done this movie. Not good. But Parker Posey was great as always.
Extract - I like Mike Judge alright. This is nowhere near as funny as Office Space, but it's still pretty good. I like Jason Bateman. And I have to admit that Ben Affleck made me laugh in this movie. But it's a pretty good story. Not many laugh out loud moments, but worth a peek if you're in bed for a month.
Henry Poole Is Here - Loved it. Cheryl Hines is in it too. I wish she was in more. She's the only redeeming factor in that stupid Robin Williams movie I can't remember the name of (and the only reason I watched it). It gets a little cheesy perhaps. But it's well done, and the cast is really good.

I know there are more. I just can't think of them. But I do have quite a few coming - Safe Men, Sherlock Holmes, Ocean's 12 & 13, Caddyshack, Memento, The Fourth Kind, a host of scary movies and then I'm going on a Wes Anderson fest. Why not? I'll give him another chance. He aced Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Meanwhile, it doesn't look like I'll be catching Iron Man 2 this weekend. I just hope I'm driving. Now that I think of it, this might be a good time to start watching Lost. I have some time.