Awhile ago, I posted a blog about what is, in my opinion, one of the best songs ever written: Tool's "Lateralus".
Here is a review of the entire album, albeit from a stoner's perspective:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2009/06/19/12-tool-lateralus/
It made number 12 of 21 on their list of top metal albums of the 21st century.
From a band that until recently was my favorite band ever, came an album that defined and inspired me for many years, sonically and lyrically.
I think you can tell a lot about a person from the things they like, and especially the music that inspires them. This may be a glimpse into my psyche, if, as the title suggests, any of you are interested.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
THE BANQUET
Rumors went out through the streets of the city
Of a banquet set by the King
My brothers and I, were the first ones in line
So we wouldn’t miss a thing
They opened the gates of pearl and gold
And at the table we took our seats
Then the King entered and in his presence
We all began to eat
When the meal was over, the King raised a glass
And he gave a toast to the night
Then my blood ran cold and shivered my soul
As he leveled me in his sight
The King passed the cup round the table and said,
“Welcome, friends, all, to my home.
Though the moon becomes high and night becomes late,
I must tell you a tale ‘fore you go.”
Then he told us a story of deceit and betrayal
And a shudder swept through the room
But before we could ask, “My Lord, is it I?”
He said, “The traitor lies among you.”
Then all of us there began turning our heads
And looked round the room to see
But when my turn came to drink from the cup
I realized the traitor was me
Tears streamed down my face and I hung my head
Then I felt the good King draw near
He kneeled before me and wrapped me in His arms
And he whispered this in my ear:
“My child, my son, wipe clear your eyes
Weep no longer for your soul
I set this meal and invited you here
My son, you were forgiven long ago.”
Of a banquet set by the King
My brothers and I, were the first ones in line
So we wouldn’t miss a thing
They opened the gates of pearl and gold
And at the table we took our seats
Then the King entered and in his presence
We all began to eat
When the meal was over, the King raised a glass
And he gave a toast to the night
Then my blood ran cold and shivered my soul
As he leveled me in his sight
The King passed the cup round the table and said,
“Welcome, friends, all, to my home.
Though the moon becomes high and night becomes late,
I must tell you a tale ‘fore you go.”
Then he told us a story of deceit and betrayal
And a shudder swept through the room
But before we could ask, “My Lord, is it I?”
He said, “The traitor lies among you.”
Then all of us there began turning our heads
And looked round the room to see
But when my turn came to drink from the cup
I realized the traitor was me
Tears streamed down my face and I hung my head
Then I felt the good King draw near
He kneeled before me and wrapped me in His arms
And he whispered this in my ear:
“My child, my son, wipe clear your eyes
Weep no longer for your soul
I set this meal and invited you here
My son, you were forgiven long ago.”
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Tide
It is said that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.
If this is true, then I have been insane for awhile.
How does one change? How does one truly alter a way of thinking?
For the longest time, I have accepted life as it is. I have allowed certain things to become the status quo. I keep doing the same things, acting the same way, thinking the same way, and then turn around and ask myself incredulously: "Why is nothing getting better? Where is that thing I keep expecting to come along to make things better?"
Why?
Because it's comfortable. Because it's convenient. Because it suits me. Because I have used the excuse that it is who I am. I have fooled myself into thinking that everything I do extends directly from my personality and the kind of person I have become. And as I have fooled myself, I have become a fool.
Part of the problem is that we have these ideas about ourselves, these pictures of who we want to be, who we fancy ourselves to be. And we get used to viewing ourselves that way. We operate in this fantastical realm of self where who we are is who we want to be. And somewhere along the way we convince ourselves that this is who we are right now. We wear a disguise, a disguise so good, that it even fools ourselves, and we fail to see that this picture of ourselves is far from reality.
If we were to take a look at our lives, a real look, an honest look, we would have to admit that who we think we are, and who we are in reality are two very different things. Like Neo after he wakes from the Matrix into the real world, he must deal with the "residual self-image" and face the reality of what he is.
But we don't want to do that. Because it's uncomfortable. Because it's difficult. Because we might have to...change.
It's not just habits. It's thoughts. And if you sow a thought, you reap an action. Sow an action, you reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. And when we fail to change our thoughts, we wonder why our destiny hasn't altered one bit.
"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..."
Who we are is the most powerful tool we possess in order to make of our life what it should be. But the first step to that is to realize that the glorified picture we have of ourselves is not correct, and to wait around for things to change, while in the meantime we change nothing, is foolish.
We aren't locked into who we are. We can change. We can become. We are not merely rafts tossed about on the sea of our personality.
For a long time I have lived with life being less than what I want it to be. I have shouted and shaken my fist at God, asking why things aren't getting better. But all the while, I have been acting and thinking the exact same way. That must change. That will change. I have reached the point where I am frustrated with being frustrated. I am tired of being tired of life.
I could let it go on. I could sit and do nothing, like I have done. I could wallow in who I am and what I want. I could wait around for things to change, and undoubtedly, some good things would happen, some bad things would happen. That's just life. But to get to where I want to be I have to BE who I should be.
If I change nothing in my life, then life will never change.
If this is true, then I have been insane for awhile.
How does one change? How does one truly alter a way of thinking?
For the longest time, I have accepted life as it is. I have allowed certain things to become the status quo. I keep doing the same things, acting the same way, thinking the same way, and then turn around and ask myself incredulously: "Why is nothing getting better? Where is that thing I keep expecting to come along to make things better?"
Why?
Because it's comfortable. Because it's convenient. Because it suits me. Because I have used the excuse that it is who I am. I have fooled myself into thinking that everything I do extends directly from my personality and the kind of person I have become. And as I have fooled myself, I have become a fool.
Part of the problem is that we have these ideas about ourselves, these pictures of who we want to be, who we fancy ourselves to be. And we get used to viewing ourselves that way. We operate in this fantastical realm of self where who we are is who we want to be. And somewhere along the way we convince ourselves that this is who we are right now. We wear a disguise, a disguise so good, that it even fools ourselves, and we fail to see that this picture of ourselves is far from reality.
If we were to take a look at our lives, a real look, an honest look, we would have to admit that who we think we are, and who we are in reality are two very different things. Like Neo after he wakes from the Matrix into the real world, he must deal with the "residual self-image" and face the reality of what he is.
But we don't want to do that. Because it's uncomfortable. Because it's difficult. Because we might have to...change.
It's not just habits. It's thoughts. And if you sow a thought, you reap an action. Sow an action, you reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, and you reap a destiny. And when we fail to change our thoughts, we wonder why our destiny hasn't altered one bit.
"Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..."
Who we are is the most powerful tool we possess in order to make of our life what it should be. But the first step to that is to realize that the glorified picture we have of ourselves is not correct, and to wait around for things to change, while in the meantime we change nothing, is foolish.
We aren't locked into who we are. We can change. We can become. We are not merely rafts tossed about on the sea of our personality.
For a long time I have lived with life being less than what I want it to be. I have shouted and shaken my fist at God, asking why things aren't getting better. But all the while, I have been acting and thinking the exact same way. That must change. That will change. I have reached the point where I am frustrated with being frustrated. I am tired of being tired of life.
I could let it go on. I could sit and do nothing, like I have done. I could wallow in who I am and what I want. I could wait around for things to change, and undoubtedly, some good things would happen, some bad things would happen. That's just life. But to get to where I want to be I have to BE who I should be.
If I change nothing in my life, then life will never change.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Thoughts Amidst The Sniffles (I have a cold)
The summer wanes, and the first hints of Fall begin to settle in over my particular region of Ohio. You ever notice that you can smell a season change? One day you wake up and it just doesn't smell like summer anymore. It's in the air, coming from that factory from which God makes seasons, but only four per year.
Well one morning this past week I woke up and stepped outside and fall was in the air. The sun was still bright, the sky was clear, but you can just tell. Though it is only September, we had a very mild summer, and thus I expected an early fall. The past three days have been cooler, and it has officially become the kind of weather in which you can wear a hoodie AND shorts and be perfectly comfortable. It is my favorite kind of weather. No surprise, for a was born in October, and thus am an autumn person, in many ways.
You see, fall is an in-between season, a time of change, a saying of goodbyes and a waving of hellos, and a settling into the long winter ahead. It is somewhat melancholy, yet bright and clear and crisp and refreshing and beautiful. Those of you who know me, know this is analogous to my personality. But more than that, it seems to be a metaphor for this particular stage in the life of yours truly.
I was reminded today at dinner with my parents and my recently married sister that I will be turning the grand age of twenty-five in just over a month. That number seems to me to be unreal. I am in my mid-twenties. I am halfway to fifty. This doesn't seem like it should be.
I recently purchases the latest release by Rise Against, a band that I am familiar with from the times in 315 where my roommate Jamie would play them. As I type I remember those days fondly. Which is perfect, because that's what this blog is about. Remembering.
The time has come for turning. Change is here and I seem to be in the in-between. Not in college but not in the routine of life just yet. I haven't found a permanent place, and I can't say that's a bad thing to me. And as fall is a somewhat wistful time, so this is a wistful period in my life, one where I long and yearn for the days past, days with my friends in Virginia.
And, again, as with autumn, I feel the approach of the winter of my life, one spent away from them, away from Virginia and all the goings-on there, away from the atmosphere of Campus Church and Liberty University, away from pursuing the things I want to learn. But that time is past.
I mentioned I purchased the Rise Against record, and on it is a song entitled "Audience of One." Some of the lyrics are as follows:
I brought down the sky for you
but all you did was shrug
You gave my emptiness a name
But you ranaway
Now all my friends gone
Maybe weve outgrown
all the things that we once loved
I won't try to explain exactly what those mean to me. It's something, like the coming of fall, that you just...know. It's in the air. Some people will look on your life and turn the other way, completely oblivious, or willingly careless. Some people will come alongside you. Some people will be held fondly in your memories forever.
But when the time comes for turning, it is a turning within, one that must be faced by yourself, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, either.
But it sure would be nice to have some company to take a walk through the falling leaves.
But God's factory at the edge of the world keeps cranking out those seasons, in weather and in life, and I guess this is me realizing that one season is coming to a close and another is beginning. And I'm melancholy, excited, a little nervous, confident, a bit lonely, a little sad, and mostly...content.
Basically, I'm everything I should be.
So, in the words of my friend, comrade, prayer minion, hallmate, fellow-member-of-the-golden-age-of-22-3, guitar hero god, magic card wizard, yankees fan and the former official voice of the Colonie, New York little league, Bill Monthie: "Alright. I've said what I needed to say. Now SCRAM."
Well one morning this past week I woke up and stepped outside and fall was in the air. The sun was still bright, the sky was clear, but you can just tell. Though it is only September, we had a very mild summer, and thus I expected an early fall. The past three days have been cooler, and it has officially become the kind of weather in which you can wear a hoodie AND shorts and be perfectly comfortable. It is my favorite kind of weather. No surprise, for a was born in October, and thus am an autumn person, in many ways.
You see, fall is an in-between season, a time of change, a saying of goodbyes and a waving of hellos, and a settling into the long winter ahead. It is somewhat melancholy, yet bright and clear and crisp and refreshing and beautiful. Those of you who know me, know this is analogous to my personality. But more than that, it seems to be a metaphor for this particular stage in the life of yours truly.
I was reminded today at dinner with my parents and my recently married sister that I will be turning the grand age of twenty-five in just over a month. That number seems to me to be unreal. I am in my mid-twenties. I am halfway to fifty. This doesn't seem like it should be.
I recently purchases the latest release by Rise Against, a band that I am familiar with from the times in 315 where my roommate Jamie would play them. As I type I remember those days fondly. Which is perfect, because that's what this blog is about. Remembering.
The time has come for turning. Change is here and I seem to be in the in-between. Not in college but not in the routine of life just yet. I haven't found a permanent place, and I can't say that's a bad thing to me. And as fall is a somewhat wistful time, so this is a wistful period in my life, one where I long and yearn for the days past, days with my friends in Virginia.
And, again, as with autumn, I feel the approach of the winter of my life, one spent away from them, away from Virginia and all the goings-on there, away from the atmosphere of Campus Church and Liberty University, away from pursuing the things I want to learn. But that time is past.
I mentioned I purchased the Rise Against record, and on it is a song entitled "Audience of One." Some of the lyrics are as follows:
I brought down the sky for you
but all you did was shrug
You gave my emptiness a name
But you ranaway
Now all my friends gone
Maybe weve outgrown
all the things that we once loved
I won't try to explain exactly what those mean to me. It's something, like the coming of fall, that you just...know. It's in the air. Some people will look on your life and turn the other way, completely oblivious, or willingly careless. Some people will come alongside you. Some people will be held fondly in your memories forever.
But when the time comes for turning, it is a turning within, one that must be faced by yourself, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, either.
But it sure would be nice to have some company to take a walk through the falling leaves.
But God's factory at the edge of the world keeps cranking out those seasons, in weather and in life, and I guess this is me realizing that one season is coming to a close and another is beginning. And I'm melancholy, excited, a little nervous, confident, a bit lonely, a little sad, and mostly...content.
Basically, I'm everything I should be.
So, in the words of my friend, comrade, prayer minion, hallmate, fellow-member-of-the-golden-age-of-22-3, guitar hero god, magic card wizard, yankees fan and the former official voice of the Colonie, New York little league, Bill Monthie: "Alright. I've said what I needed to say. Now SCRAM."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)