QUOTES TO LIVE BY

On Living a Christ-Centered Life ...

"God doesn't care about your comfort. He cares about your character."
- Mike Breaux

"Following God's will is not about whether you should take this job or that job. It's not about should I date this person or that. It is about living your life with a clear focus on God and His righteous ways."
- Mike Breaux

" The Left mocks the right. The Right knows it's right. Two ugly traits. How far should we go to try to understand each others' point of view? Maybe the distance grace covered on the cross is a clue."
- Bono

ROCK OUT IN 2006!!

PREDICTIONS FOR 2006

ENTERTAINMENT
-- "The Da Vinci Code" movie will gross over $150 Million (only 136 films have ever done so)
-- "Brokenback Mountain" wins Oscar for best picture
-- The Rolling Stones will finally stop touring!

SPORTS
-- Brady Quinn will win the Heisman trophy
-- The Red Sox will finish worst than second place in the AL East for the first time in a decade
-- Colts will not win the Super Bowl

MISC.
-- Indiana will be in the Eastern Time Zone all year
-- The U.S. will begin sending troops back home in mass numbers!

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

A banner year for my musical collection. I don't believe there has ever been a year in which I bought so many CD's. Just a lot of good stuff to purchase and these I consider must have's --

AMOS LEE -"Amos Lee" - Still a virtual unknown but his first full-length is absolutely outstanding. For anyone who enjoys jazz mixed in with a little blues this album is for you.

COLDPLAY - "X&Y" - A must have. There's not really a bad song on the thing and definately a few that stick out like, "Til Kingdom Come" and "Fix You"

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - "Devil's and Dust" - Very creative lyrics. The title track is awesome. "Jesus was an Only Son" is rather interesting. Still processing most of the album.

SWITCHFOOT - "Nothing is Sound" - Probably my favorite album of the year. After not liking it after the first listen I couldn't stop listening to it. I still can't take it out of my CD player.

DAVID GRAY - "Life in Slow Motion" - Great album. Some of the best stuff that you will probably never hear on main stream radio.

GREEN DAY - "American Idiot" - As someone once said, "Punk with a message. Wow!" The lyrics to each song are unreal.

CONCERT DVD

For whatever reason it seems that one of every five of my posts talks about either U2 or Bruce Springsteen in some way, shape or form. So here's another. If you consider yourself a fan of one of these two musical talents you have to (I repeat - Have To!) get one of the following:

After I stop kicking myself for not going to any of their four shows while they were in Chicago this past year, I was absolutely memorized by the Vertigo Tour DVD. It is full of amazing footage with jaw-dropping moments. The two-hour set is like nothing I have ever seen from a concert. The acoustic version of "Yahwah" is worth the cost. Man, I wish I could have been there. I need to see this group in-person!


With the 30th Anniversary boxset of "Born to Run" it includes the two-plus hour concert from London's Hammersmith Odeon in November 1975. It was Springsteen's first concert overseas. The footage is rough but the set and the performance are amazing. He is a rare performer who just gives a killer effort with the E-Street Band. Clarence Clemons on the saxophone is knock out!

YEAR IN REVIEW

For those who like "looking back" at the top stories of the year, Yahoo does a pretty good review of news, sports, entertainment - Year in Review

Check out some of the photos!

MOMENTS OF 2005

During each month this past year there were singular moments that stand out more than any other. Here's a look back at each of those 12 (well maybe more) moments ...

January -- Saturday, the 29th -- a group of us took a day trip to Chicago and visited Willow Creek. Two things really stick out to me 1) watching the reaction of the group when they walked into the 7,000+ seat auditorium for the first time & 2) Got to meet Bill Hybels!

February -- Sunday, the 12th -- after a "light outs" neaveH, somehow 14 or so people fit in my apartment for a 1,001 questions and social time. First time I met Laura & Rich.

March -- Tuesday, the 8th -- the Josh Groban concert. Worth every penny of admission. Can't ever describe how amazing it was.

April -- Sunday, the 3rd -- first of nine months for neaveH at the Beanery. What a fun night of laughter, smiles, connections & community. Didn't get home til extremely late but it was worth the sleepless night.

May -- Sunday, the 29th -- the day that an un-named individual got kicked off the go-karts at Hackers during neaveH's visit.

June -- Monday, the 20th -- a boat cruise in Illinois during the Midwest League All-Star game celebration. So relaxing & peaceful. Those 45 minutes almosts made working in baseball worth it.

July -- Monday, the 4th -- Got to see Howie Day for the first time and hang with Cooper in the process. Great times!

August -- Tuesday, the 23rd -- back in school to start my Masters Degree. Never thought that day would end. Not sure if starting school the day after an eight-game homestand was the best idea.

September -- Wednesday, the 14th -- watching the Silver Hawks win my final game as a baseball employee from the roof of "the cove" then going on to win the championship three days later. OR -- Thursday, the 29th -- Charlie Hall at GCC with Rob Wenger's rockin out an awesome message

October -- Ok, I have to break this down into three events

1) Saturday, the 15th -- the Notre Dame/USC game (wow!)
2) Thursday, the 27th -- Switchfoot in Chicago (jaw-dropping!)
3) Saturday, the 29th -- Notre Dame/Louisville volleyball match (amazing!)

November -- Saturday, the 26th -- my roommate Tom's wedding. Virginia is for lovers after all ... Fun times!!

December -- Thursday/Friday (9th/10th) -- traveling to Texas with Notre Dame volleyball at the NCAA "Sweet 16"

ROCK OUT IN 2006!!

(almost) 15 YEARS AGO

In 1991 u2 released one of their best albums ever (if not their best) when they put out "Achtung Baby."

The reason I bring this up is because last week I purchased the album at a used CD place for $8.00. I remember buying it on tape but lost it soon there after when I was in 7th grade or something. For reason I can't believe that this album is celebrating 15 years in 2006 plus I forgot how freakin' amazing this album is.

It's one of just a handful of albums that can be listened to from start to finish without skipping a song yet some how it only won a single Grammy award. It produced some of the most amazing radio hits with "One" & "Mysterious Ways" and not to mention songs that didn't make the radio with "Ultraviolet" & "So Cruel" - just timeless music.

All this proves once again that they are the biggest band in the world.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

This is my final post before Dec. 25 so everyone have a Great Christmas! Enjoy all the excitement that comes with this holiday!

A few things to note - check out this amazing video by Corey Mann to Coldplay's "Fix You" - Awesome!

Next week a run down of things that happened in 2005 and predictions for 2006!

ALL THE BEST TO EVERYONE!!

KONG ANYONE?

This movie had me intrigued from the time I saw the first trailer months ago. There were some good and bad with this flick.

GOOD -
Battle with T-Rex(s) vs. Kong
Videography/Visuals

BAD -
Downtime

First the bad, it felt like there was a whole lot of down time and too much behind the main theme story telling. Peter Jackson just directed a little bit more than he should have. The first 35 minutes are pretty blah and it felt like there was way too much set-up. There was way to much "extra stuff" and it made the movie longer than needed. Too much terror that didn't need to be in the movie.

The fight scene between King Kong and the T-Rex(s) was absolutely amazing. I mean just one big amazing visual. It never looked computerized. Not once. It was so shockingly great. A ton of fun to watch. If there's a scene in the film that wasn't visually stunning, I didn't see it. If this film doesn't win some sort of Oscar for visual efffects, I'd like to know what the voters were smoking.

Admist all that the storyline with Noami Watts and King Kong was really fasnating. I knew what was going to happen by the end but for some reason that whole relationship between the woman and the beast is pretty cool.

Not a bad flick ... It has to be watched on the big screen.

McLAREN'S INSIGHT

So on Sunday morning I drove down to Spencerville, MD to visit the church of Brian McLaren. He's the author of such books Generous Orthodoxy, A New Kind of Christian and More Ready than You Realize among others.

Cedar Ridge Community Church is set on a farm with a big silo right in the middle of the property. It felt really friendly. I don't know why but it just did. By no stretch is this a mega-church and it felt a lot like the church I went to while I was in college (say about 650 people or so). In some ways in reminded my of a much smaller Mars Hill (i.e. Rob Bell's church).

I did get to chat with McLaren for a few moments afterwards. He recommended a few books and I was on my way. Once again, just seemed like a really nice guy. Before the service he spent at least 10 minutes walking through the aisle welcoming people.

NARNIA EXPERIENCE

Good flick. I think if I had to boil down this movie into one word, it would be: inspiring.

The passion in this movie is second to none. Ok, granted I am a Christian and that's the story behind the movie and that may influence me but it really just fires me up. There were numerous (and I mean numerous) comparisons that I was drawing through out the movie between what was happening on the screen and what is happening in my life. I just wanted to get up and fight during the final scene of the movie. Man, just freakin fired up.

The four "no names" who are the main characters won't be "nobody" much longer. They all were fantastic. I really felt at some point all the feelings that they characters were feeling during the movie that I am feeling in life (and have felt in life).

I think I forgot how awesome this story really. I now have a greater appreciation for C.S. Lewis and his writings once again. An appreciation I will not soon (or ever) forget.

DA VINCI CODE MOVIE

The Da Vinci Code first trailer has been put up on it's website! Only 5+ months of waiting ahead of me!

Check it out - here!

TRAVELING AGAIN

Back in Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons - wedding, friends, Christmas. So my blogging will be pretty limited the next several days.

The drive in through the pounding snow storms was a whole lot of fun and turned a nine-hour trip into 10 1/2 hours! Just glad to make it through the interstate in one piece!

I am looking forward to visiting Brian McLaren church, Cedar Ridge Community Church, in Spencerville, MD during my visit back to the East Coast! Hoping to get to sign "Hi" and asked some mind messing questions!

Then get some shopping done! I've finally purchased my first Christmas present of the year! Still got a week to go! Enjoying the fun!

BOOK OF DANIEL

NBC is starting a new weekly series in January titled "The Book of Daniel"

You can read an article from Beliefnet or Worldnetdaily.

GOOD TO GREAT

Been watching the DVD's of previous Leadership Summit's head at Willowcreek the past few weeks and I came across one that I have heard a lot about but never "experienced" it myself. Well, I am so glad that I finally got to process Jim Collins' "Good to Great" talk from the 2003 Summit.

I watched the 54-minute talk four-times now and each time I find myself just myself more and more interested. I am a sucker for leadership stuff anyway but this guy just peaked it to a level that no one else has (although Bill Hybels is right on par).

Just some of the quotes that got me:

"Good is the enemy of Great."
- Because, after all, by in-large good is the standard that everyone is trying to meet.

"Think rigorous not ruthless"
- This one really got me because confrontation really isn't a problem for me but doing it correctly and with tact can be.

"Only you will ever know"
- See you and your conscience will ever know if you cheated, lied, cut a corner or whatever to accomplish your goals

I picked up the book and started reading it the other night and it is chalked full of mind blowing stuff! Becoming better ...

100TH POSTING!!!

Today is my 100th posting on Blogger! So after a time of reflection. I think about all the really resourceful things I could have been doing with my time instead of blogging but it's more fun to blog. I think of other "100's" in history about whatever, so here you go ...

... Times Magazine 100 most influential people of the 21st century - here

... Top 100 website ranking - here

... Top 100 movie moments - Here

... Top 100 Song Lyrics - here

... Top 100 Speeches of all-time - here (#73 is a personal favorite)

... Top 100 Books - here

Here's to 100 more exciting post of insanity, questions, thoughts and just utter chaos!

ONE GRADE IN

Well, today I finally worked up enough courage to find out what I got in my "Interpreting the Old Testament" class. I don't fear much of anything, but when I put my work that I think is good in the hands of another individual then I get a little nervous.

But there was no need to be nervous because I got a "B+" ... I'm pretty pumped about that grade considering that I didn't think I would get better than a 'B' but I will certainly take it. Of course I have no clue what I will get in my other class but so far so good after not studying for almost five years!

GEORGE BUSH LIBRARY

Just got back from my trip to College Station, Texas where the George Bush Presidential Library & Museum is.

This was a little extra special part of my trip. We little had 90 minutes of "free time" on Friday afternoon and three of us took the tour of the museum. I was thoroughly shocked about how much stuff was there.

However, there was nothing more amazing then the piece of the Berlin Wall that was being housed inside the museum. I don't know exactly why I was so moved by the 2.5 ton piece of wall. Maybe it was the oppression the wall caused, the division or maybe the freedom it gave once it feel but it was just so moving. I literally spent 15 minutes just standing in front of the piece and reading some of the story behind the wall. Just absolutely amazing.

Then I was we completed our tour that looks out over a lake, we saw a white hair lady taking a walk around the water. It was none other than Barbara Bush. We tried to get outside and take a picture but she went inside before we could get to her. Still, very cool seeing her as she walked her dog around the lake.

COUNTDOWN SAYS ...

Bands you may not know but should

This list is dedicated to bands/artists that seemingly many people don't know about yet these performers are among the best out there!

1) Howie Day

He had a break through with his radio smash "Collide" but this guy can't flat out write and play. In addition he has done some amazing covers of U2, Dave Matthews, etc.

2) Further Seems Forever

First heard of them from Corey Mann and his recommendation was dead on. Take a listen for free right - here.

3) David Gray

This guy is more than his radio hit "Babylon" from six years ago. His new album "Life in Slow" motion is outstanding

4) Nickelcreek

Ok, this blue grass band is somewhat well know but they should be more popular! I saw them in concert for a cheap $20.00 a few years ago. Great Investment!!

5) Straylight Run

Just listen to the song "Existentialism On Prom Night" and you should be statisfied. Just good stuff!

THE FRIENDLY WAGER

For whatever strange reason I decided to make this wager with my friend and Colts fan, Laura. The wager is the following:

The Colts Win the Super Bowl
- I must shave my facial hair and grow my hair out for two weeks.

The Colts don't win the Super Bowl
- Laura has to wear make-up for two weeks.

Doesn't sound like a real "sexy" wager but just consider a few things. I haven't had a cleanly shaved face for nearly eight years. Furthermore I haven't had hair longer than an inch since high school. (I usually buzz my hair every 3-4 days.)

For Laura, I don't know if I have ever seen her in make-up since I met her back in February. If, or should I say when, the Colts don't win our friend Lindsay will take care of the make-up duties.

I like my chances in winning this wager. The Colts have continued pressure to win and the NFL has to much parody and they will lose in the playoffs. Can anyone even remember when the Colts won two games in the playoffs?!? I'm thinking the following teams could knock off the Colts in the playoffs: Denver, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Seattle, Carolina.

SMELLS LIKE ROSES

I knew that the Texas & USC logos were going to show-up when the two teams for the Rose Bowl were going to be announced on Sunday afternoon but it just marks the beginning of one month of hype, excitement and crazyness. It's going to be so much fun but it will probably be near impossible for the game to live up to the hype.

The two high powered offenses led by players that are out of this world exciting to watch. A Texas defense that is as good as this high-powered USC team has ever faced. The 34-game winning streak the Trojans have. The first title game apperance for Texas in three decades. And back-to-back Rose Bowl games for the Longhorns ... Good times!

Hook 'em!!!

CHECK YOUR CALENDAR

I have always liked Christmas. It's probably my favorite time of the year except when pitchers and catchers report for spring training. Between those two, it's a close race for which I like more!

So I now have just really noticed that there are less than 20 shopping days left til Christmas, and I am not worried at all. I love the hustle and bustle of walking the mall and various shopping centers. It really is quite amazing how some shoppers make going to the store/mall a contact sport. Just simple amusement.

I am a really picky shopper. I like to take risks when buying gifts and more over I liked to be surprised when receiving gifts. However being a risk taker has back-fired on more than one occasion but it also has succeeded a lot. Going for the unique gift has its ways of doing that.

Enjoy the "final push" of Christmas shopping! Anybody say ebay??!

SWEET 16 & TEXAS BOUND!!

Friday night was a good night. The Notre Dame volleyball team knocked off Northwestern 3-0 to advance to the "Sweet 16" in the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 1997 season. Yeah, I know that I'm the poster child for a volleyball nerd but it was so much fun to see this team advance. This team of five seniors finally has broken through and got past the second-round of the NCAA's.

With the win the Irish will play either Wisconsin or California down in College Station, TX in the round of 16 on Friday evening. So on Thursday morning myself and fellow volleyball broadcast buddy will board a plane for Texas! I have never been to the Lone Star state (well, the "longhorn" state) and while it's probably nothing spectacular I'm pumped.

Here's a look at some important numbers:

Dec. 2 in South Bend, IN: 20 degrees
Dec. 2 in College Station, TX: 80 degrees

Notre Dame's record: 30-3
California/Wisconsin record: 19-10/24-6

So it seems to me that no snow in December is better than frigid weather conditions with snow. Whoever the Irish play in the "Sweet 16" it's going to be a battle. Last season, Wisconsin beat ND in the second round but it's more fun to be there then not being there!

PICTURE THIS

How is this picture speaking to you?

BID NOW!

I've seen a lot of crazy and silly things but this has to be somewhere in the dumbest things I have ever seen or heard of. I love sports but this is pretty stupid. Does the fact that there is a urinal on my page say anything about the below paragraph?!? ...

... A urologist paid $2,173.82 for a urinal from the Cardinals' former clubhouse at old Busch Stadium in an online memorabilia auction. The practice's doctors plan to put the urinal in the patient bathroom at their new office. They feel the urinals a bargain since the porcelain is unusually strong given its high steroid content.

I mean it makes sense to me, right?!? There are 2,173 better things to do with that money!